Friendly Computers recently learned about a court case heading to the Supreme Court that may lead to the ban the sale of some video games to minors. Read more below…
The debate over selling violent video games to minors might be headed to the U.S. Supreme Court.
The Associated Press is reporting California Attorney General Jerry Brown has appealed to the court to reinstate a law banning the sales and rentals of games to minors.
According to AP, a federal appeals court struck down the law in February, claiming it violated the right to free speech. Brown says the same justifications for banning minors from pornography can be applied to the sales of violent games.
Game Politics has a copy of California's appeal. The law's author, state senator Leland Yee has praised the decision.
"California’s violent video game law properly seeks to protect children from the harmful effects of excessively violent, interactive video games,” said Yee in a statement on his webpage. "I am hopeful that the Supreme Court – which has never heard a case dealing with violent video games – will accept our appeal and assist parents in keeping these harmful video games out of the hands of children."
As news service AFP points out, the law requires games labeled with an "18" to be prohibited for minors, with steep financial penalties for violations.
Update at 4:23 p.m. ET: Entertainment Software Association President Michael D. Gallagher has responded to the appeal, issuing the following statement: “We are confident that this appeal will meet the same fate as the State’s previous failed efforts to regulate what courts around the country have uniformly held to be expression that is fully protected by the First Amendment. California’s taxpayers would be better served by empowering parents and supporting the ESRB rating system.”Update at 5:30 p.m. ET: Entertainment Consumers Association president Hal Halpin commented on the appeal in a statement: "I was disheartened to hear that Governor Schwarzenegger is petitioning the Supreme Court over labeling and sales of video games, especially given the fact that nine similar pieces of legislation have been overturned on First Amendment grounds, costing the respective cities and states much-needed taxpayer funds. Coupled with California’s $21B economic crisis and the fact that the Governor is about to lay off teachers en masse, it’s shocking to the conscience. This was a frivolous political football back when the state had money to burn. Now it’s out-and-out irresponsibly politicized."
Source: http://content.usatoday.com/communities/gamehunters/post/2009/05/67062931/1
