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silverstrand
Rated PG-13
Joined: 10 Oct 2005
Posts: 30
Location: Wisconsin
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 Posted: Wed, 04 Oct 2006 07:13:43 Post Subject: New Proposed Video Game Legislation |
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| Quote: | Sen. Sam Brownback (R-KS) has sponsored legislation in the United States Senate which would require the ESRB to play games in their entirety before assigning an age rating.
Brownback’s Truth in Video Game Rating Act (S.3935) would appear to be the Senate version of a House bill of the same name proposed by Rep. Cliff Stearns (R-FL).
“The current video game ratings system needs improvement,” Brownback said, “because reviewers do not see the full content of games and don’t even play the games they are supposed to rate. For video game ratings to be meaningful and worthy of a parent’s trust, the game ratings must be more objective and accurate.”
Brownback’s measure would mandate the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to administer the requirement for a complete play-through before rating.
“Game reviewers must have access to the entire game for their ratings to accurately reflect a game’s content,” Brownback added.
The bill would also direct the FTC to define parameters for describing video game content as well as defining what kind of behavior by the game industry would break those rules.
Brownback also would have the Government Accountability Office (GAO) evaluate the efficiency of the ESRB system as well as the potential for establishing an independent rating body with no ties to the industry. Universal systems spanning movie, TV and games would also be looked into.
The conservative Brownback has been very active on video game issues in recent times. He worked with Sens. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) and Joe Lieberman (D-CT) on game-related bills such as the recently-passed CAMRA legislation and held committee hearings on video games in the Senate earlier this year.
Full text of Brownback’s new bill is not yet available. We’ll post it when it goes up on the Congressional system. |
http://gamepolitics.com/2006/09/27/brownback-proposes-game-ratings-bill-in-senate/
http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3154101
At least none of the violent video game tax proposals have gotten through. And while some games may have hidden content, the ability for some games to be modded effectively screws up this legislation (or will just bring a bill proposing that games cannot be modded). Of course, if parents would just not buy their children Grand Theft Auto, this problem wouldn't exist.
Of course, more "accurate" ratings are always good. Then again, worse/similar stuff can be seen in some rated "R" movies then is seen in some rated "M" games. |
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Little Bruin
Boo Boo
Joined: 07 Apr 2003
Posts: 667
Location: Pic-A-Nic Basket |
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vileguy
Rated PG-13
Joined: 25 Aug 2006
Posts: 39
Location: San Jose, Ca
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Puddin
Rated NC-17
Joined: 17 Oct 2004
Posts: 140
Location: Fredericksburg, Virignia
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| Posted: Tue, 10 Oct 2006 17:14:17 Post Subject: |
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If a parent cares enoguh, they will reserch the game. Plain and simple. The goverment is not responsible for everythign adnd making sure my kids won;t play this or that. I will be. If people took personal responisbilty it would all be ok.
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Hellfire
Rated XXX
Joined: 05 Aug 2003
Posts: 3473
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| Posted: Tue, 10 Oct 2006 18:02:29 Post Subject: |
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| Puddin wrote: | | If a parent cares enoguh, they will reserch the game. Plain and simple. The goverment is not responsible for everythign adnd making sure my kids won;t play this or that. I will be. If people took personal responisbilty it would all be ok. |
Agreed. I let my son watch almost any movie (R and below) as long as I have seen it before him. Same with games, when he wants a game, I play it first or at least look into it to know what kind of a game it is.
That's the biggest problem with the world today, most parents do not take the time to know what their kids are doing/watching. They expect others to help raise their kids (government/technology/schools). Instead of taking the time to learn what their kids are doing/playing. |
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Kilamon
Rated XXX
Joined: 22 Mar 2005
Posts: 811
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| Posted: Tue, 10 Oct 2006 18:17:28 Post Subject: |
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| Hellfire wrote: | | That's the biggest problem with the world today, most parents do not take the time to know what their kids are doing/watching. They expect others to help raise their kids (government/technology/schools). Instead of taking the time to learn what their kids are doing/playing. |
Most parents can barely use their work computers (ie, Word and Excel) so trying to use an Xboox or Playstation would be like asking them to learn how to program their VCR (and it's flashed 12:00 since 1986). As a result, you get legislative action so that the parents can try to make a more informed decision but really, they'll ignore it just like they always have only now, when they realize that GTA has hookers, they'll use the legislation to sue even more people to get more money because they were dumbasses in the first place. No one wants to take responsibility for their own actions.
This is why I'm taking the first step in responsibility and not having children. Enough people are out there with pathetically imbecilic children that I don't feel any pressure to try to keep the species alive with my own genetically engineered, technophile kids (whom I would instill a belief in that taking over the world is necessary). |
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