PeaceJam | Violence in Video Games: U.S. Supreme Court to decide if state can regulate video games

Violence in Video Games: U.S. Supreme Court to decide if state can regulate video games

Posted 4/26/2010 at 1:08 PM by Bradlee A in Community Blog
Affiliate: PeaceJam HQ

PeaceJam, Breaking the Cycle of Violence wrote:

One of the first things that we must do is to dismantle our own armed consciousness because we are children of a culture of violence, and our minds have been armed.

The above quote is the first line of PeaceJam's Global Call to Action issue: Breaking the Cycle of Violence. (Click on the link to read more about this GCA issue). One activity that has contributed to the arming of our minds is playing violent video games.

The State of California recognized this and placed a ban on the sale and rental of violent video games to minors. The ban was overturned and the case has made it all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, which will hear the case to determine whether or not a state can implement such a ban.

Associated Press wrote:
The court will review a federal court’s decision to throw out California’s ban. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Sacramento said the law violated minors’ constitutional rights under the First and Fourteenth amendments.

Click here to read the full article.

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Bradlee A wrote:
I can imagine states not being able to ban the sale or rental of violent video games to minors. They do it with movies and so many other things deemed inappropriate for youth.
posted 4/26/2010 at 1:09 PM

Kate P wrote:
arg. violent video games are one of my hugest pet peeves! why don't more people find them disturbing?? when i was younger i played this computer game called "pirates, GOLD!" where i got to be a swashbuckler, and the closest thing i had to a gun was a canon i'd fire arbitrarily when another ship came onto the screen. no direct contact between my canon and the other ship were made. i digress, and i agree with bradlee.
posted 4/26/2010 at 1:28 PM

Jen C wrote:
I completely agree with Bradlee that limiting the sale of video games that are rated with high violence content seems perfectly within the rhealm of what happens with movies and pornagraphy, so I do understand why this is being looked at differently. Also, I do not understand how people do not think that extensive exposure to violence, even virtual, has a negative effect on kids. Just like anything, your habits and development are influenced by repetition and familiarity. So how can we think that the virtual killing of people, that is getting more and more realistic, is not somehow marking our kids to be more familiar and comfortable with violence. And the whole arguement about seeing the same type of violence on the news is ridiculous because maybe the more accurate reason we don't react to real violence is because we just got done watching or acting out violence that is far worse. Additionally, and most importantly, i would love to see the parent who is arguing for their kids of minor age to have full access to all levels of virtual violent without their permission. I mean come on. Let's be honest in saying that the main people fighting against this law are not parents but are video game and entertainment lobbists.
posted 4/26/2010 at 3:59 PM

Brett E wrote:
Mortal Kombattttttttttttttt One of my favorite games as a kid. I'm torn on it cause I played every violent video game I could manage to get my hands on when I was young. I still play violent video games all the time. But I wouldn't say that I led a very "unviolent" youth... so hmmmm. But I can't imagine anytime where I thought that I should be violent because of what I'd seen in a video game. My violent moments tended to be based off of movies. But then again, games are becoming much more cinematic these days. In the end I'd side on allowing kids to play violent video games if the parents allow it.
posted 4/26/2010 at 7:42 PM

Theresa K wrote:
I thought there already was a limit on what video games minors can buy - like they have to be 18 to buy games that are rated Mature or something like that.
posted 4/28/2010 at 10:52 AM

Bradlee A wrote:
I'm pretty sure, but not for positive, that there were restrictions on renting Mature video games in my state of MN. I think this may be a case of every state does it already, but only one is getting called out to be made an example of, or to set a precedent.
posted 4/28/2010 at 11:31 AM