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| Author | Message |
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Sheesh
  
| #1 posted May 8, 2008 at 10:22pm (EDT)
edited May 8, 2008 at 10:25pm (EDT) |
I'm an 100% for this bill. I hope it is written well enough to withstand judicial scrutiny. As long as the requirements are relegated to just asking for an ID to purchase rated "M" and "AO" games, it should pass with flying colors. An added bonus if it does pass would be a greater likelihood that the US will finally see "AO" games intended for adults, hopefully raising creativity. Imagine what the next GTA might be....
A new bill in the U.S. Congress would force retailers to card kids attempting to buy video games bearing "mature" or "adults only" ratings.
In addition to the identification-checking requirement, Reps. Jim Matheson (D-Utah) and Lee Terry (R-Neb.)'s Video Game Ratings Enforcement Act, introduced on Wednesday, would also require stores to post explanations of what the ratings, devised by the industry-backed Entertainment Software Ratings Board (ESRB), actually mean, according to a press release. A copy of the bill's text was not immediately available on Thursday.
<snip>
A Matheson aide told CNET News.com that her boss believes his bill is crafted narrowly enough to survive any constitutional challenge that may arise.
http://www.news.com/8301-10784_3-9939160-7.html?ta...
On a different note, I read on Kokatu that via the Nintendo Channel, owners are being spied upon:
Oh, and, if you let it, it'll quietly take stock of your Wii and your gaming setup, then report back to Nintendo HQ with its findings. Some of the information it will share includes your net connection speed, WiiConnect24 settings, TV preferences, daily play habits and even how many Miis you've got saved on your system, all in the hopes of providing you, dear consumer, "with game recommendations and improved future services". Any of you choosing to opt out of the service should be aware that if you do, you won't be able to download those DS demos, which are being kept only for those customers participating in this grand "information exchange".
http://kotaku.com/388291/nintendo-channel-tells-ni...
Wonder if Sony and Microsoft are doing the same thing. If so, look out for your ripped music and vids if they are pirated!
Public Liberty Radio: Where Conservatives Exchange Tasty Baby Recipes |
ENIX
    
| | #2 posted May 9, 2008 at 1:33am (EDT) |
Why isn't there any enforcement of the equivalent with Rated R/Unrated movies first? I can't remember the last time I saw anyone get carded at Wal-Mart for an R rated or Unrated movie.
Ratings systems are, and have always been, voluntary. Passing this bill would be a stomp in the face of citizens and one more step towards censorship IMO. It would essentially make ratings mandatory. |
Xena
  
 
| | #3 posted May 9, 2008 at 4:30am (EDT) |
ENIX wrote:
> Why isn't there any enforcement of the equivalent with Rated R/Unrated
> movies first? I can't remember the last time I saw anyone get carded
> at Wal-Mart for an R rated or Unrated movie.
i actually got carded when i tried to buy a copy of Terminator 2 recently. i had left my ID in the car and the woman refused to ring it up until i could prove to her how old i was. sometimes my youthful appearance can be a hinderance.
 |
Sartori
BTRs
(abandoned)
| | #4 posted May 9, 2008 at 5:38am (EDT) |
Xena wrote:
> ENIX wrote:
>> Why isn't there any enforcement of the equivalent with Rated R/Unrated
>> movies first? I can't remember the last time I saw anyone get
> carded
>> at Wal-Mart for an R rated or Unrated movie.
>
> i actually got carded when i tried to buy a copy of Terminator 2 recently.
> i had left my ID in the car and the woman refused to ring it up until
> i could prove to her how old i was. sometimes my youthful appearance
> can be a hinderance.
>
>
Sounds terrible.. |
CoachMcGuirk
(frozen)
| | #5 posted May 9, 2008 at 5:41am (EDT) |
Xena wrote:
> ENIX wrote:
>> Why isn't there any enforcement of the equivalent with Rated R/Unrated
>> movies first? I can't remember the last time I saw anyone get
> carded
>> at Wal-Mart for an R rated or Unrated movie.
>
> i actually got carded when i tried to buy a copy of Terminator 2 recently.
> i had left my ID in the car and the woman refused to ring it up until
> i could prove to her how old i was. sometimes my youthful appearance
> can be a hinderance.
>
>
You should have just let your facial hair grow a day or two....
Oh wait....
|
Xena
| | #6 posted May 9, 2008 at 7:23am (EDT) |
....................../´¯/)
....................,/¯../
.................../..../
............./´¯/'...'/´¯¯`·¸
........../'/.../..../......./¨¯\
........('(...´...´.... ¯~/'...')
.........\.................'...../
..........''...\.......... _.·´
............\..............(
..............\.............\...
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Soxicide
| | #7 posted May 9, 2008 at 7:39am (EDT) |
How are they going to even enforce this? If anything this could be a good thing because of the addition of the "AO" rating, were that to actually happen. Down with censorship!
People who cannot understand the current ratings systems are just total fudgetards.
Wii Console Number - 3980 9188 9827 5295
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benstylus
(frozen)
| | #8 posted May 9, 2008 at 8:34am (EDT) |
The gaming industry believes bills like this are a bad thing, and they do everything in their power to get them overturned in court, and so far they have been successful in doing so in past cases.
The reason they always win is because these bills propose to regulate just video games, and restricting one form of expression while leaving others alone has been found to be invalid. If there were a more sweeping regulation to cover not just games, but all forms of entertainment, it would stand a chance of holding up in court if passed.
But the lobbyists for all 4 major entertainment industries (represented on gametz as games music movies books) would join in the fight against such a bill, and its chance of passing would be almost zero - who's going to argue for regulating the sale of books to minors?
Need a small short-term loan?
Ask benstylus. |
Jeffro
 
| | #9 posted May 9, 2008 at 1:28pm (EDT) |
Sheesh would, thats who.
 |
Godfather
| | #10 posted May 10, 2008 at 2:25am (EDT) |
Sheesh wrote:
> I'm an 100% for this bill. I hope it is written well enough to withstand
> judicial scrutiny. As long as the requirements are relegated to just
> asking for an ID to purchase rated "M" and "AO" games, it should pass
> with flying colors. An added bonus if it does pass would be a greater
> likelihood that the US will finally see "AO" games intended for adults,
> hopefully raising creativity. Imagine what the next GTA might be....
>
I feel obligated to point out the few things that we agree upon.
This one of them.
Guitar Hero forum GTZoners |
Admiral
 
| | #11 posted May 11, 2008 at 3:23am (EDT) |
I feel obligated to point out the few things that we agree upon.
This is one of them.
(Also, Soxicide makes a great point - with these games being regluated more in these types of ways, we could possibly see LESS censorship IMO...since companies won't be responsible anymore and the retailers will be!) |
j_factor
| | #12 posted May 11, 2008 at 7:50pm (EDT) |
I think it's dumb to have laws enforcing the opinions of a non-government entity. The ESRB is an industry group, not a regulatory one. They don't answer to the government.
<benstylus> what crappy game from 15 years ago have you been playing lately?
Answer: Exile: Wicked Phenomenon (Turbo CD) |
Admiral
| | #13 posted May 12, 2008 at 12:17am (EDT) |
but shouldn't SOMEBODY stop kiddies from seeing sex in games and movies? |
j_factor
| | #14 posted May 12, 2008 at 12:31am (EDT) |
Admiral wrote:
> but shouldn't SOMEBODY stop kiddies from seeing sex in games
> and movies?
There are already laws banning the sale of pornography to minors, and that would include any pornographic games that might come out. For anything non-pornographic, I think having the ratings is enough. The ratings don't need to be enforced by law. We've had movie ratings for decades, without them being enforced by any law, and it's worked out fine so far.
<benstylus> what crappy game from 15 years ago have you been playing lately?
Answer: Exile: Wicked Phenomenon (Turbo CD) |
Admiral
| | #15 posted May 12, 2008 at 12:47am (EDT) |
true true...but aside from keeping kiddies away from these games, it could also put pressure on the retailers - instead of the game companies. Therefore allowing companies to be more free about what they produce.
No? |
j_factor
| | #16 posted May 12, 2008 at 1:12am (EDT) |
That's an interesting point, and I don't know. The best thing I can think of is how we now have "unrated editions" of DVDs, giving movie studios freedom to throw in whatever crap they want. Perhaps someday we'll have a similar phenomenon with games.
<benstylus> what crappy game from 15 years ago have you been playing lately?
Answer: Exile: Wicked Phenomenon (Turbo CD) |
Jeffro
| | #17 posted May 12, 2008 at 12:59pm (EDT) |
Admiral wrote:
> but shouldn't SOMEBODY stop kiddies from seeing sex
> in games and movies?
No, all information should be avialable to everybody regardless of age, race, sex.
|
ChosenWarrior
 
| | #18 posted May 12, 2008 at 3:13pm (EDT) |
No, who cares about minors now that all of us are adults!
Seriously though, it wont change anything, the parent could just buy the game for them if they WANT them to play it.
I think it works |
Admiral
| | #19 posted May 12, 2008 at 5:40pm (EDT) |
ChosenWarrior wrote:
> Seriously though, it wont change anything, the parent could just buy
> the game for them if they WANT them to play it.
>
> I think it works
See... I'm ok with this. At least the parents would know what their kids are playing. Maybe not the CONTENT of what they're playing, but that's THEY'RE job to find out as parents.
If this at least forces parents to know the TITLES of what games are being played, and if it forces MORE retailers to check ID's (allowing freedom for developers), and it keeps some whack job kids from playing GTAIV, them I say it's ok. It certainly won't affect the older more mature people, so whatever. |
ChosenWarrior
| | #20 posted May 12, 2008 at 5:45pm (EDT) |
Yeah, what im saying is that this is no censorship, kids who were getting M games before arent going to stop getting them.
|
Admiral
| | #21 posted May 12, 2008 at 6:01pm (EDT) |
True, but I'll bet LESS kids will be getting M rated games. I'll bet there are alot parents out there that don't know their kids are playing M games right now - and would probably STOP them from playing if they did know. |
ChosenWarrior
| | #22 posted May 12, 2008 at 6:06pm (EDT) |
Well most of the time the parent of minors are the ones who buy the games for them. I do agree there will be a decrease of minors playing M rated games, but not by a great number. I think it will benefit the majority, with a few young kids/preteens getting mad now that they can get their hands on one or two titles that their parents dont approve of, and if that allows for more content to be added to games, as well as removing the taboo lock on the AO rating, then im very cool with it |
Jeffro
| | #23 posted May 12, 2008 at 7:35pm (EDT) |
Most parents dont pay attention to their kids enough to know what the fudge they're eating for breakfast/lunch/dinner or where they even came from. So the bum down the street from EB/Gamestop will be rollin' in 40 ouncers if they seriously enforce anything.
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ChosenWarrior
| | #24 posted May 12, 2008 at 7:39pm (EDT) |
I dont see it as enforcing anything. I see alot of game stores not sell games to minors. This will just make it a law that will hopefully have some benefits like more content put into games since they arent liable anymore.
And the fact im fudgein 18 and i dont care about those kiddy/preteen bastards |
Jeffro
| | #25 posted May 12, 2008 at 7:52pm (EDT) |
Uncensored content is always great. Im just totally against Videogames=bad kids. The parenting skills of todays parents are about as useless as those of the baby-boomers(pretty much non-existant).
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ChosenWarrior
| | #26 posted May 12, 2008 at 8:00pm (EDT) |
Yeah the average american parent, of course not everyone's like that. As i said, i think the benefits far outweigh the drawbacks, if any. This thing we're talking about is very minor, as i also said if those same parents dont care what they're kids play than they will still get them those kinds of games. Of course videogames does not = bad kids, and i personally think there are only a few games that children shouldnt play as i think gore and violence arent as bad as sexual content and EXTREME violence...heh |
Jeffro
| | #27 posted May 12, 2008 at 8:08pm (EDT) |
May as well desensitize them while they're young.
Keep in mind that I'm a pretentious ass thats against human beings as a whole, so what I say never really makes a whole lot of sense (especially to the sensible).
|
ChosenWarrior
| | #28 posted May 12, 2008 at 8:44pm (EDT) |
Which doesnt make sense since you're standing up for children's rights! |
Jeffro
| | #29 posted May 12, 2008 at 10:05pm (EDT) |
hahahaha
|
ChosenWarrior
| | #30 posted May 12, 2008 at 10:17pm (EDT) |
If you really dont give a fudge, you'd have my mentality of "it doesnt affect me, so it's cool" |
Jeffro
| | #31 posted May 12, 2008 at 10:39pm (EDT) |
Its not necessarily about not giving a fudge. Its the fact that if an "erase human existence" button existed I would be first in line to push it. But I do like your attitude to, its farily close to my  .
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ChosenWarrior
| | #32 posted May 12, 2008 at 10:40pm (EDT) |
Haha, well im not too much into that. It's just that preteens and children whining about not getting M rated games without mama getting it for them is the least of my concerns. I want to play some AO games dammit. |
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