• Some People are trying to pass a stupid Video game bill in NY.
    52 replies, posted
[quote] Trying to pass legislation that impacts how games can be sold or what has to be put on them is a popular and expensive way of sending the message that you're concerned about the issues that affect the youth of today. Although every law attempted has gone down in flames, and has cost taxpayers at least $1 million through the years, politicians continue to line up to give it a go. The newest bill is A11717, proposed by Assemblyman Joseph Lentol, and it has already passed through the New York State Assembly. Now it's on to the State Senate. It's a familiar story, but in this case the New York government is asking for things the industry is already doing. Related Stories * States continue losing streak with game legislation * Massachusetts lawmakers debate ill-advised video game law * ESA awarded legal fees from fight against Michigan game law * Gamers get political action group The legislation would require game consoles to include parental locks for mature content but, while this sounds good on paper, every current-generation console already has parental controls. Not only that, but the ESRB has done a great job of getting the word out on how to use said controls. The bill also wants to force games to show their ESRB ratings on the cover of the title, which is also something that is done industry-wide. Every game sold at retail has the ESRB rating on the front cover, with more detailed information on what content the game includes on the back of the box. Given that industry compliance on showing the ratings on games is already at 100 percent, it's unclear what the law would achieve. Fighting youth violence, at least twice a year [highlight] Here's were things get a little silly: the bill also says that there will be a group created to make recommendations about game ratings and the effects that games have on youth violence. The group will have 16 members, appointed by the governor, who will each serve for three years. While there is no schedule for how often this group shall meet, the bill is strict: it has to be at least twice a year. The bill uses a lot of legalese to say the group will meet and try to stop youth violence, including racial and gender-motivated violence, and violence against law enforcement. They will do this by talking about video games, at least twice a year. With no pay. [/highlight] The Entertainment Software Association has already mobilized its forces against this law. Richard Taylor, Senior VP of Communications and Research contacted Ars, and he didn't have kind words for the bill. He points out that the ratings already appear on games, the consoles already have parental controls, and this is much more political than practical. "By now I'm sure we're all well aware of the Federal Government’s own statistics on video game sales; a recent Federal Trade Commission (FTC) report showed that retailers prevented the sale of M-rated games to kids 80 percent of the time, far better than movie theaters preventing kids access to R-rated movies (65 percent of the time) and retailers preventing the sale of R-rated DVDs (53 percent of the time)," he told Ars. "This kind of investigation then is clearly part of Senator Lanza's crusade against video games and a waste of taxpayers' time and money." The Video Games Voters Network has a form letter if you'd like to contact the politicians behind this bill. This law seeks to legislate issues that the industry has already taken care of, so the only gain would be some form of government control over gaming content. Of course, the movie, music, and publishing industries have resisted efforts to bring entertainment content under government control, so this appears to be the latest candidate for a judicial smackdown from a long line of failed bills. In the end, the politicians will get some publicity since they're trying to protect children against the so-called evils of gaming, the ESA will get any law passed struck down, and New York's taxpayers will get stuck with the bill. [/quote] [b]Hey, great idea you fucking idiots, Make a committee to study some bullshit, SURELY THAT WILL HELP :downs:[/b] [b]I HAVE A BETTER IDEA: LET'S MAKE A COMMITTEE THAT WILL TEACH PARENTS ON HOW TO PROPERLY PARENT THEIR KIDS[/b] It's not passed anyways, but the bolded parts summed up my thoughts [img]http://kerstein.org/dilbert/dilbert2.gif[/img]
Jesus christ, video games aren't that fucking bad. It can be as bad as seeing a movie. Oh yeah if I press a pink square button in real life, I can spawn a tank and go on a rampage of rolling people over.
Ahaha oh wow. I don't want to go to new york if it's runned by a bunch of dumbasses.
If you ban computer games, you might as well ban movies, magazines, radio, and TV. The only way those wankers could do that would be if they used live ammunition to suppress everyone. And if that happens, the Nuclear Sword of Damacles, which already hangs over the governments heads, will drop and kill them all.
If you can restrict your kid from seeing a rated R/PG-13 movie you can stop your kid from playing a M/T game.
Agreed
I don't see why gamers aren't getting together and protesting this shit. So many people live in NY and i guarantee more than 70% of the population are gamers. Why aren't people getting up and doing something about it.
[QUOTE=themeatsword]I don't see why gamers aren't getting together and protesting this shit. So many people live in NY and i guarantee more than 70% of the population are gamers. Why aren't people getting up and doing something about it.[/QUOTE] Because they're too busy earning achievements so their cock gets bigger
[QUOTE=crotcod]Because they're too busy earning achievements so their cock gets bigger[/QUOTE] No, I think it's because they are trying to hoard funnies on a forum.
[QUOTE=themeatsword]I don't see why gamers aren't getting together and protesting this shit. So many people live in NY and i guarantee more than 70% of the population are gamers. Why aren't people getting up and doing something about it.[/QUOTE] Because all we can do is argue with them, and that will get us nowhere.
[QUOTE=themeatsword]I don't see why gamers aren't getting together and protesting this shit. So many people live in NY and i guarantee more than 70% of the population are gamers. Why aren't people getting up and doing something about it.[/QUOTE] Because you'd realize (if you read the article) that this bill is doing absolutely nothing new, and the New York legislation is just mentally retarded :downs:
I don't see why video games need more restriction than movies. There's already a rating system. You need a parent's permission to see an R-rated movie, you should need a parent's permission to by an M-rated game. It's really simple.
Ugh. I live in NY.
Well, that's fucked up if they're planning to make [B]obligatory[/B] parental locks on games. I mean, what, you'll have to fap on the console to check your age or what
Remember when Mass Effect came out? Fox news, etc?
When the current generation of teenage gamers are parents most will know how to keep their kids off violent games and know what parental controls do. I personally think that problems like these could gradually phase out as the percentage of tech savvy people increases.
Won't happen. And if it does, NY will be ruined :( [b]Edit:[/b] Actually, Nevermind. If this happens, it will be the new smuggling of liquor.
[QUOTE=Quickoatz]Ugh. I live in NY.[/QUOTE] me two :(
It's not being talked about, it did pass.
[QUOTE=Smirnoff Joe]If you ban computer games, you might as well ban movies, magazines, radio, and TV.[/QUOTE] You forgot books, writing of any kind, and the ability to speak. Hell, mine as well just blow up the planet. [I]BUT THAT WOULD BE TOO VIOLENT![/I]
Man, Hillary Clinton is fucking up.
Wasted taxpayer dollars...
[QUOTE=Jon-Ace]Wasted taxpayer dollars...[/QUOTE] As is everything nowadays. Stupid government shenanigans :argh:
I bet they're gonna choose a bunch of 80 year old techophobics. It's things like this that make me very glad to live in Australia.
[QUOTE=themeatsword]I don't see why gamers aren't getting together and protesting this shit. So many people live in NY and i guarantee more than 70% of the population are gamers. Why aren't people getting up and doing something about it.[/QUOTE] 70% of the entire population are not gamers. More like 25%.
No, if you like playing video games, you are a gamer. You mihgt be a casualy gamer, or a family gamer, you still are a gamer. I also really hate those people who keep suing take-two for the hot coffee mod; fucking hell they didn't make it! If I got a copy of some famous artwork and drew boobs and penises on it, by their logic every single copy and even the original should be censored.
[QUOTE=Jacklus]No, if you like playing video games, you are a gamer. You mihgt be a casualy gamer, or a family gamer, you still are a gamer. I also really hate those people who keep suing take-two for the hot coffee mod; fucking hell they didn't make it![/QUOTE] Uh, technically they did. The only thing Hot Coffee did was unlock a minigame they were going to put in, but decided not to finish and somehow left it in the game's files.
Apparently, there are more people out there who is just like Jack Thompson
My god, this is why I hate living in New York. The state government is pure shit.
ITT: Pissed off New Yorker gamers. (Rightly)
Sorry, you need to Log In to post a reply to this thread.