Jus' Mom
11-29-2003, 09:14 PM
Bills to target violent video games
Legislation would make it illegal for kids to buy 'first-person shooter' games.
By Ed Fletcher -- Bee Capitol Bureau
Published 2:15 a.m. PST Saturday, November 29, 2003
Video games have come a long way since Atari's "Pong" had players bouncing a white dot across their television screens. Nowadays, gamers can shoot cops, beat prostitutes and torch still-struggling victims.
Citing studies that say kids who play violent video games are more likely to be violent themselves, California Assemblyman Leland Yee, D-San Francisco, plans to introduce legislation making it illegal for minors to buy the most violent video games and requiring game dealers to separate youth games from adult offerings.
"This is all about saving our kids," said Yee, a freshman legislator with a doctorate in child psychology.
Yee is targeting so-called "first-person shooter" games, in which the player operates through the eyes of the character.
If the Legislature finds that shielding kids from video violence outweighs protecting the freedom of speech or other considerations, the fate of the bill will be decided by action-hero Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger -- who happens to have a first-person shooting game, "Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines," in stores now.
The "Terminator 3" game, by Atari, features Schwarzenegger's voice and likeness in his signature role of the Terminator, a character he's taken to the big screen three times. It carries a "teen" rating, which means it may contain violent content.
It's unclear how the governor might act if the legislation reaches his desk. Aides said he hasn't yet reviewed the proposal and couldn't say to what extent Schwarzenegger maintains a financial interest in the game.
More than a half-dozen law enforcement, women's rights and children's advocacy groups are expected to join Yee on Monday, when he plans to announce the introduction of the legislation at a San Francisco press conference.
Parents interviewed Friday had mixed opinions.
"The games that I don't let this 13-year-old have are the games that have sexual content," said Michael Hill, who was shopping with his wife and son at Sacramento's Downtown Plaza. "Those are what worry me, not the violent ones."
Pat Schanna, also shopping at KB Toys, had a different take on the proposed legislation.
"That is fine with me," Schanna said. "I don't even like the commercials for (violent games). Kids see them, and that is what they want."
The idea of controlling video game violence is not a new one. Just this month, Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Joe Lieberman vowed to fight violent video games. And in Washington state, lawmakers passed legislation making it illegal to sell games that depict police killings. That effort is now in the courts.
Avid gamer Justin Hoeger said video games are getting more and more blame for youth violence.
"They seem to be the scapegoat of the decade," said Hoeger, who reviews video games for The Bee. "I don't think legislation is the answer."
Hoeger pointed out that movies and television use a voluntary ratings system and that video games are rated as well.
Entertainment Software Rating Board video game ratings include "Early Childhood," "Everyone," "Teen," "Mature" and "Adult Only." Ratings appear on game packages. According to the system, mature games have content that may be suitable for those age 17 and older, while adults-only games have content suitable only for adults.
But while a ratings system is in place, a 2003 Federal Trade Commission survey found that 69 percent of the time, unaccompanied teens were able to buy mature games from retailers.
The same survey found that only 27 percent of the retailers sampled had information about the ratings system, and 24 percent of cashiers asked the child's age.
Columbine High School shooters Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold enjoyed playing "Doom" -- one of the most popular first-person shooter games of all time, psychologists Craig Anderson of the University of Missouri-Columbia and Karen Dill of Lenoir-Rhyne College in Hickory, N.C., wrote in an article in the April 2000 issue of the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. Their study argues that playing violent games is directly related to violent behavior.
Yee is planning two pieces of legislation dealing with the issue.
One would regulate the display of violent video games, requiring that games with a mature rating be stocked on a shelf separate from other games and at least five feet off the ground.
The other aims to expand existing law making it illegal to sell "harmful matter" to minors. Yee wants harmful matter to include violent video games that "depict serious injury to human beings in a manner that is especially heinous, atrocious or cruel," particularly those that use the "first-person shooter" perspective.
Operating through the eyes of video game killers trains kids to stalk victims, take aim and kill, Yee said.
He said he wasn't sure about legislating the issue until he saw what teens can do in the games.
"It is rather extreme what we are trying to do, but you have to draw the line," Yee said. "I'm saying: no more of these video games to help our kids become shooters."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
About the Writer
---------------------------
The Bee's Ed Fletcher can be reached at (916) 326-5548 or efletcher@sacbee.com.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ESRB Rating Symbols
EARLY CHILDHOOD
Titles rated EC - Early Childhood have content that may be suitable for those age 3 and older. Contains no material that parents would find inappropriate.
EVERYONE
Titles rated E - Everyone have content that may be suitable for people age 6 and older. Titles in this category may contain minimal violence, some comic mischief and/or mild language.
TEEN
Titles rated T - Teen have content that may be suitable for people age 13 and older. May contain violent content, mild or strong language, and/or suggestive themes.
MATURE
Titles rated M - Mature have content that may be suitable for people age 17 and older. Titles in this category may contain mature sexual themes, more intense violence and/or strong language.
ADULTS ONLY
Titles rated AO - Adults Only have content suitable only for adults. Titles in this category may include graphic depictions of sex and/or violence. Adult Only products are not intended for people under the age of 18.
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Legislation would make it illegal for kids to buy 'first-person shooter' games.
By Ed Fletcher -- Bee Capitol Bureau
Published 2:15 a.m. PST Saturday, November 29, 2003
Video games have come a long way since Atari's "Pong" had players bouncing a white dot across their television screens. Nowadays, gamers can shoot cops, beat prostitutes and torch still-struggling victims.
Citing studies that say kids who play violent video games are more likely to be violent themselves, California Assemblyman Leland Yee, D-San Francisco, plans to introduce legislation making it illegal for minors to buy the most violent video games and requiring game dealers to separate youth games from adult offerings.
"This is all about saving our kids," said Yee, a freshman legislator with a doctorate in child psychology.
Yee is targeting so-called "first-person shooter" games, in which the player operates through the eyes of the character.
If the Legislature finds that shielding kids from video violence outweighs protecting the freedom of speech or other considerations, the fate of the bill will be decided by action-hero Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger -- who happens to have a first-person shooting game, "Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines," in stores now.
The "Terminator 3" game, by Atari, features Schwarzenegger's voice and likeness in his signature role of the Terminator, a character he's taken to the big screen three times. It carries a "teen" rating, which means it may contain violent content.
It's unclear how the governor might act if the legislation reaches his desk. Aides said he hasn't yet reviewed the proposal and couldn't say to what extent Schwarzenegger maintains a financial interest in the game.
More than a half-dozen law enforcement, women's rights and children's advocacy groups are expected to join Yee on Monday, when he plans to announce the introduction of the legislation at a San Francisco press conference.
Parents interviewed Friday had mixed opinions.
"The games that I don't let this 13-year-old have are the games that have sexual content," said Michael Hill, who was shopping with his wife and son at Sacramento's Downtown Plaza. "Those are what worry me, not the violent ones."
Pat Schanna, also shopping at KB Toys, had a different take on the proposed legislation.
"That is fine with me," Schanna said. "I don't even like the commercials for (violent games). Kids see them, and that is what they want."
The idea of controlling video game violence is not a new one. Just this month, Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Joe Lieberman vowed to fight violent video games. And in Washington state, lawmakers passed legislation making it illegal to sell games that depict police killings. That effort is now in the courts.
Avid gamer Justin Hoeger said video games are getting more and more blame for youth violence.
"They seem to be the scapegoat of the decade," said Hoeger, who reviews video games for The Bee. "I don't think legislation is the answer."
Hoeger pointed out that movies and television use a voluntary ratings system and that video games are rated as well.
Entertainment Software Rating Board video game ratings include "Early Childhood," "Everyone," "Teen," "Mature" and "Adult Only." Ratings appear on game packages. According to the system, mature games have content that may be suitable for those age 17 and older, while adults-only games have content suitable only for adults.
But while a ratings system is in place, a 2003 Federal Trade Commission survey found that 69 percent of the time, unaccompanied teens were able to buy mature games from retailers.
The same survey found that only 27 percent of the retailers sampled had information about the ratings system, and 24 percent of cashiers asked the child's age.
Columbine High School shooters Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold enjoyed playing "Doom" -- one of the most popular first-person shooter games of all time, psychologists Craig Anderson of the University of Missouri-Columbia and Karen Dill of Lenoir-Rhyne College in Hickory, N.C., wrote in an article in the April 2000 issue of the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. Their study argues that playing violent games is directly related to violent behavior.
Yee is planning two pieces of legislation dealing with the issue.
One would regulate the display of violent video games, requiring that games with a mature rating be stocked on a shelf separate from other games and at least five feet off the ground.
The other aims to expand existing law making it illegal to sell "harmful matter" to minors. Yee wants harmful matter to include violent video games that "depict serious injury to human beings in a manner that is especially heinous, atrocious or cruel," particularly those that use the "first-person shooter" perspective.
Operating through the eyes of video game killers trains kids to stalk victims, take aim and kill, Yee said.
He said he wasn't sure about legislating the issue until he saw what teens can do in the games.
"It is rather extreme what we are trying to do, but you have to draw the line," Yee said. "I'm saying: no more of these video games to help our kids become shooters."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
About the Writer
---------------------------
The Bee's Ed Fletcher can be reached at (916) 326-5548 or efletcher@sacbee.com.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ESRB Rating Symbols
EARLY CHILDHOOD
Titles rated EC - Early Childhood have content that may be suitable for those age 3 and older. Contains no material that parents would find inappropriate.
EVERYONE
Titles rated E - Everyone have content that may be suitable for people age 6 and older. Titles in this category may contain minimal violence, some comic mischief and/or mild language.
TEEN
Titles rated T - Teen have content that may be suitable for people age 13 and older. May contain violent content, mild or strong language, and/or suggestive themes.
MATURE
Titles rated M - Mature have content that may be suitable for people age 17 and older. Titles in this category may contain mature sexual themes, more intense violence and/or strong language.
ADULTS ONLY
Titles rated AO - Adults Only have content suitable only for adults. Titles in this category may include graphic depictions of sex and/or violence. Adult Only products are not intended for people under the age of 18.
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