Rent to your little heart's content, for now.

[Shard]

A federal judge has agreed to temporarily block a new California law banning the sale or rental of violent video games to minors.

U.S. District Court Judge Ronald Whyte said the Encino-based Video Software Dealers Association and the Washington, D.C.-based Entertainment Software Association "were likely to succeed" in their lawsuits arguing that the law violates free-speech rights.

At the least, "serious questions are raised ... including the question of whether there is a causal connection between access to such games and psychological or other harm to children," Whyte wrote in a ruling issued late Wednesday.

The law, which was set to go into effect Jan. 1, prohibits retailers from selling or renting violent video games to those 17 and under, imposes a $1,000 fine on violators and mandates stricter product labeling.

The preliminary ruling marks a good sign for the video game industry.

"For the sixth time in five years, federal courts have now blocked or struck down these state and local laws seeking to regulate the sale of games to minors based on their content," said Doug Lowenstein, president of the Entertainment Software Association.

The industry groups also challenged similar laws in Illinois and Michigan. A judge in Illinois recently ruled in favor of the video game industry, but Illinois officials plan to appeal.

By MAY WONG, AP Technology Writer

The Governator says he's not done yet, that this legislation provides valuable ....<snore>....

[RPGD]

Re: Rent to your little heart's content, for now.

Not too surprising, yet definitely pleasing.

[Red Dragon]

Re: Rent to your little heart's content, for now.

I, to this day, do not understand why people hate this law. I was 16 when I played my first M game. (not including MK for the genesis that got taken away from me) I think that if kids are restricted from seeing/renting movies why not video games?

All I do is play video games but that doesn't mean it's bad to ban them to minors.

[Manyak]

Re: Rent to your little heart's content, for now.

I dunno how I feel about this, it's sort of like when your 3rd grade teacher kept evrybody inside for recess because Billy blew a spitball at her.

I mean, I know it's somewhat of a necessary evil, but I've been playing M rated games all my life. I just can't shake the feeling that a few bad apples are ruining the fun for everybody else.

[jvrlopez]

Re: Rent to your little heart's content, for now.

They'll still get to it one way or another.

Like porn.

[Shard]

Re: Rent to your little heart's content, for now.

For me it isn't the idea of adult oriented content (I don't necessarily mean sex or violence) getting to kids, it's the use of the government apparatus as stand-in for parents. If it were my child, I'd consider it my job to control what he/she is exposed to.

Also, while this isn't the case in every instance, some of these 'parental watch groups' are nothing more than the faces of political bodies trying to push their views on others. That sort of backdoor control is particularly nasty when it becomes integrated into the government, as you can see with this administration. In the case of Schwarzenegger, I've yet to see him make a principled stand on anything. So far, every action he's taken is simply to please a small core of his ever-dwindling constituency.

Little Bobby didn't buy that PS2 with $200-300 of his own money. You parents chose to let him have it, so you take on the responsibility. Same goes for cable TV or a family pet. You don't like looking out for dog****, fine, don't buy the dog.

[Valkysas]

Re: Rent to your little heart's content, for now.

This is all so stupid.

so they make it illegal for minors to buy these games, that the ESRB has already marked as being unsuitable for them, and the ESRB has gone after retailers in the past for not enforcing these ratings.

so why the hell are they against these laws?

[Shard]

Re: Rent to your little heart's content, for now.

The ESA/ESRB has been getting blasted for poor enforcement of their guidelines and "ratings creep". They're an independent body from the game industry and government, so the presumption is that this makes them impartial. However, if they get bypassed by these laws, they sort of lose their spot at the table. In my mind, any vestige of impartiality gets tossed out the window as well.

As for the law itself, it seems to be aimed more at the supply-side of the equation and not so much at minors. It sounds a little like they're trying to hash out culpability for future lawsuits.

[jvrlopez]

Re: Rent to your little heart's content, for now.

Weren't the ESRB ratings only recommendations, leaving it up to the retailers to decide if they wanted to enforce the sale of games via their ratings?

[Shard]

Re: Rent to your little heart's content, for now.

It's a "voluntary" ratings system in the same way that movies have a voluntary system because the alternative is being controlled by a government legislated ratings system. So you get enforcement that varies not only between distributors, but between stores of a single distributor.

[Kaahtt]

Re: Rent to your little heart's content, for now.

Yay!
I am so happy big brother is doing all the decision making for us! This way, we no longer need to use our head mussle! All praise Big Brother! Big brother, we cannot live without you! Big brother, we are nothing without you! Long live opressive totalitarian governments!

F***ing lefties.

[Flatliner]

Re: Rent to your little heart's content, for now.

Hey. I'm a lefty. In both senses.

[Manji]

Re: Rent to your little heart's content, for now.

it's not like kids can't get their sex and violence elsewhere..video games are only ONE avenue along the streets of childhood corruption..

i will say that i do agree with better enforcement. sometimes parents can't be around to monitor every single solitary activity of their child. so, it helps when our system works for us in that way, at least.

[jvrlopez]

Re: Rent to your little heart's content, for now.

Yay!
I am so happy big brother is doing all the decision making for us! This way, we no longer need to use our head mussle! All praise Big Brother! Big brother, we cannot live without you! Big brother, we are nothing without you! Long live opressive totalitarian governments!

F***ing lefties.

Lefties, pushing for a totalitarian government?

I guess thats why president Bush recently came out saying that he had ordered secret wiretaps or why he was pushing for a renewal of the patriot act.

Yea, cause we all know President Bush is suuuch a lefty

The only thing any "lefties" have to blame for in relation to this topic is their lack of a stomach when it comes to violence in the media.

[Ryner]

Re: Rent to your little heart's content, for now.

I cant imagine why anyone would have a problem with keeping minors from getting mature games. It's like complaining that a 14 year old cant buy beer. Sometimes it seems like people are so fast to question the government and scream that big brother wants to control our thoughts that they dont even think rationally.