Court overturns violent video game ruling

[The Biff Lebowski]

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court ruled Monday that it is unconstitutional to bar children from buying or renting violent video games, saying government doesn't have the authority to "restrict the ideas to which children may be exposed" despite complaints that the popular and fast-changing technology allows the young to simulate acts of brutality.

On a 7-2 vote, the high court upheld a federal appeals court decision to throw out California's ban on the sale or rental of violent video games to minors. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Sacramento had ruled that the law violated minors' rights under the First Amendment, and the high court agreed.

"No doubt a state possesses legitimate power to protect children from harm," said Justice Antonin Scalia, who wrote the majority opinion. "But that does not include a free-floating power to restrict the ideas to which children may be exposed."

Court overturns ban on video game sales to kids - Yahoo! News


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Thoughts?

[zdunklee]

I think that is the correct ruling. It won't effect the ability of stores to require 17+ for the M rated titles (Even though parents still buy them for their kids all the time). In this case California was going to ban children from buying ANY game they determined was violent, regardless of the ESRB ratings the game received.

If the ESRB rates the game as teen or for everyone then it should be up the to parents to decide if their kids are allowed to play that game. Games aren't the problem, parents are the problem when they don't pay attention or care.

[zdunklee]

Here are some other quotes:

Unlike depictions of "sexual conduct," Scalia said there is no tradition in the United States of restricting children's access to depictions of violence, pointing out the violence in the original depiction of many popular children's fairy tales like Hansel and Gretel, Cinderella and Snow White.

Hansel and Gretel kill their captor by baking her in an oven, Cinderella's evil stepsisters have their eyes pecked out by doves and the evil queen in Snow White is forced to wear red hot slippers and dance until she is dead, Scalia said.

Here is a good link as well with even more about the ruling, I tend to agree...this isn't an issue government should decide. Anything for your children should be done by parents.

www.techdirt.com/articles/20110627/11000414873/supreme-court-says-anti-violent-video-game-law-violates-first-amendment.shtml

[Queenie]

Jun 27, 2011 14:40:38 GMT -5 zdunklee said:

Games aren't the problem, parents are the problem when they don't pay attention or care.