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Legislation

Video Game Legislation

New York Assembly, Senate Pass Video Game Bill

Though efforts to put the force of law behind voluntary content regulation in video games have been ruled unconstitutional over and over again, state-level lawmakers continue to endeavor to pass such laws. The state of New York is the latest to level its administrative eye on video games, passing almost unanimously a bill in the State Assembly at the beginning of this week that proposes an "advisory council" for video games.

From the bill's description, it:

Creates an advisory council on interactive media and youth violence and requires video game consoles to be equipped with a device or control to permit owners to prevent the display of violent or indecent video games; defines "video game"; addresses sale and rental of video games.

Now that the bill, spearheaded by Staten Island Republican Senator Andrew Lanza (R), has been passed 61-1 by the State Senate, the proposed 16-member advisory council still needs to meet with the approval of New York Governor David Paterson (D). If he signs off, the bill could become law in 2010 - which could open the door for the New York State Senate to use its judgment to control video game content.

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leland yee explains

Cali Senator Discusses Interactive Violence, ESRB "Conflict of Interest"

You may know California Senator Leland Yee (D-San Francisco/San Mateo) as one of the most ardent critics in politics of violence in video games. A bill he authored intended to legislate the sale of violent video games in his state was recently ruled unconstitutional in federal court, and Yee, along with Gov. Schwarzenegger, are currently appealing the decision. He also urged the FTC to investigate the ESRB in the wake of the Manhunt 2 ratings controversy, and regularly speaks out against video games he believes are "ultra-violent."

Consumer site GameCyte recently interviewed Sen. Yee and asked him to explain why he thinks games are more dangerous than other forms of violent media, such as films and television:

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news

Advocacy Groups Want Games Locked Up

As the GTA IV launch is once again trotted out as a controversy flashpoint, there's one thing the gaming audience tends to agree on: This game is not for children. Of course, just how zealous they are about enforcing such a mandate varies wildly.

Nonprofit advocacy group the Parents' Television Council takes their position on enforcement beyond just demanding legal consequences for retailers who sell M-rated games to kids under the age of 17. The council wants games like GTA IV locked up behind store counters, like cigarettes, tobacco and porn.

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violent video games

Stephen King Weighs in on Video Game Violence

Best-selling author Stephen King points up and rips down the double-standard of what's tolerable in violent films, compared with video games, in a brilliant op-ed for Entertainment Weekly. You should take a look at this, because as a creator of worthy stories filled with violence and suspense, he speaks with real authority. Plus, it's great to see this kind of defense in a mainstream medium.

King's been writing horror novels for nearly four decades, many of them reaching the big screen, some of them even winning Oscars. And he rightly points out that to a politician, a 17-year-old can see gruesome flicks like Hostel or Saw, but would be a danger to society playing the less graphic Grand Theft Auto or Hitman series.

Then he loses it on a bill before the Massachusetts state legislature, and it gets good.

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walking on eggshells

Jim Ward Talks Game Legislation

Every time a teen commits an act of violence these days I find myself holding my breath, waiting for information to surface about his video gaming habits, and apparently I am not alone. The San Jose Mercury News caught up with ESA Board chairman and LucasArts president Jim Ward to talk about the state of gaming legislation today, and his concerns echo my own pretty succinctly.

And, by the way, at any moment, if some kid in West Virginia goes and blows away 32 people, and they find out that he played a video game, guess what, we've got a problem again. Just as if he had watched a movie and then done that. Or just as if he had read "Catcher in the Rye" and blamed it on J.D. Salinger. . .
That was in response to ESA president Mike Gallagher's belief that the tide of anti-gaming legislation is turning, and Ward is right. The industry isn't so much marching firmly towards the level of acceptance that music, movies and literature have achieved as it is walking a tightrope towards it.

Gaming exec assesses impact of technology, legislation [Miami herald via Game Politics]


legislation

Congress Looking At the 'Skill Game Protection Act'

Via PlayNoEvil, "Congressman Robert Wexler introduced HR 2610, the Skill Game Protection Act, to exempt games 'where success is predominantly determined by the skill of the players involved' from being considered gambling ...." The law won't apply to most American MMOs, but could affect "Asian MMOs and the tournaments/arena modes of Western-style MMOs." More »

taking a bite out of the apple

Vicarious Visions Speak Out on NY Legislation


Back in May, the New York State Senate passed a bill that would regulate video game ratings and that bill is on its way to becoming a law. Now, two video game developers based in New York have spoken out in an op-ed column for the Albany Times-Union in an attempt to explain the economic benefits of the game industry and the redundancy of having another system of monitoring video game violence (on top of the ESRB and parental controls) added into the mix. Kathrik Bala, CEO (pictured above), and Guha Bala, president of Vicarious Visions write: More »

you've got to be kidding me

Illinois Governor Blew $1 Million On Failed Appeal

From GamePolitics comes a news article stating that Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich blew through a million dollars of taxpayers' money trying to fight "a 2005 federal court ruling that a state law banning the sale of violent or sexual-explicit video games to minors was unconstitutional." More »

politics

Proposed Law Permits Confiscation of Unrated Games

GamePolitics reports that a new legislation in the works by New York State Republican Rep. Brian Kolb adds a twist to the standard proposal prohibiting the sale of violent or sexually explicit games to minors: More »

france

France Approves Game Tax Credit

In a move that could have oppressed German game developers looking jealously towards the southwest, the French Parliament has approved a plan to allow game developers creating games with a "with a cultural dimension" a tax credit equaling 20% of development costs up to 3 million euros a year. That's a pretty sizeable chunk of change aimed at keeping developers in the country, providing a sharp contrast to Germany, where some game developers are looked on and treated like borderline criminals. More »

voting

VGVN: We Don't Need No Legislation

This morning the Video Game Voters Network sent out an email to its members urging them to make their voices heard this Tuesday by voting in the mid-term elections.
We need to send a clear signal this Tuesday: video games are protected speech, afforded constitutional protection by the First Amendment. Our taxpayer time and money should be spent on the real issues affecting our country and taxpayers.

The VGVN, operated by the Entertainment Software Association, is an organization dedicated to defending video games and gaming against legislative threats. It's a great thought, but I've a feeling the only candidates getting the gamer vote this week are Gears of War, Guitar Hero II, Call of Duty 3 and Elite Beat Agents. If only we could vote through Xbox Live.

Video Game Voters Network

VGVN Urges Gamers to Vote [GamePolitics.com]

politics

Oklahoma Paper Talks Blessed Sense About New Law

Watchblog GamePolitics reports that the Muskogee Phoenix is full of piss and vinegar about the shamefully-constructed anti-games law in Oklahoma: More »

legislation

Washington Times Snaps at 'Crats Over Games Legislation

The Washington Times is a traditionally right-leaning newspaper, and they've recently published an article damning games legislation. I would normally endorse such a tirade, but the article makes some tiresome omissions, keeping it from being just a decent opinion piece and turning it into an agenda-whore. GameDaily has a nice little piece calling the Washington Times on their crap: More »

violence

Leland Yee's Half-Truths & Down-Right Lies

Luke over at 1Up chatted with California politician Leland Y. Yee about freedom of speech and video games. Yee spearheaded a bill through the State Assembly that prohibits selling ultra-violent video games throughout the Golden State. Banning the sale of these games does not contradict First Amendment rights contests Yee. More »

bad idea

Center for Disease Control and Prevention to Investigate Video Games?

Apparently so. GameSpot reports that senators Joseph Liberman, Hilary Clinton and Dick Durbin have teamed up to ask the Center for Diseas Control and Prevention to study the "impact of electronic media use." So what? More »

politics

Video Game Legislation Tracking Map

Game Politics whipped up a cool little map that shows the current status of video game legislation around the country. While it's a neat reference, it would be cool if they eventually added more details on the status of contested laws, like the ones in Michigan and California. I'd love to be able to see which are being fought and where exactly they are in the process. More »