Minnesota Can't Bar Kids From Violent Video Games

[tropicsgoddess]

A recent ruling from the federal appeals court went against a law in Minnesota banning children under 17 from buying or renting violent video games. http://www.comcast.net/news/articles/technology/2008/03/17/Video.Game.Law/?cvqh=forum_newsminnkidsvideoarticle

I personally think that parents are the ones that are supposed to be the ones who control whether their children are allowed to have those games, NOT the government. It's quite sad that the government is actually stepping in on telling parents on how to raise their children these days.

[Amethyst Hunter]

Illinois has something similar, I forget what it is, but kids under a certain age aren't allowed to buy particular rated games.

I completely agree that it's solely the parent's job to determine what is and what is not appropriate for kids. That's what my parents did with me and my brother whenever we attempted (and often failed) to get our mitts on something they disapproved of.

[powerboy]

I think that it is the parents responsibility to approve or disapprove the kind of shows/movies/games/music and what not that the younger children wants to see or hear or play.

[Boozy]

Isn't it already illegal to allow minors into R-rated movies?

How is this different?

[Greenday]

Minors are allowed into rated R movies as long as they are accompanied by someone who is 21 or older.

[Boozy]

Minors are allowed into rated R movies as long as they are accompanied by someone who is 21 or older.

Gotcha. So this is different.

[Norton]

Going to a movie at the theater is different than buying or renting one.
In most places around here, young people get carded when buying/renting any R-rated movie, or M-rated videogame.

The government has already stepped in by rating the games in the first place, so why not deny sales/rentals to minors just like R-rated movies? It makes perfect sense to me.

I agree that overall, it's the parent's responsibility to make sure little Johnny and Susie aren't exposed to the violence and sexual themes in M-rated games, but by denying their sales to minors, it makes the parent's job a bit easier.

Of course, there will always be the asshat parents who don't know about game ratings, or don't check and buy it for their little hell-spawn anyway.

[lordlundar]

As well, there is no law that states that a child cannot go into an R or NC-17 rated movie. It is simply an enforcement of an industry standard. One which is not done as well as the game industry either. The last figures from the NIMF (a family advocate group) puts rating enforcement on games at 40% and with movie theaters at about 25%.

No law exists on the theaters though. People just think there is. It's only a law that prohibits viewing of pornographic material.

[IDrinkaRum]

Norton - besides the asshat parents who don't know/care enough to find out the rating system/video game, there is always the flip side:

The "overly permissive" parent. They get their kids whatever they want, whenever they want it. Doesn't matter what it is.

But yeah, I don't think it's a good idea for the Government to tell us how to raise our kids.

[LadyMage]

Oddly I had a convo with a video game clerk about this one time. Basically he thought the whole banning the sale to minors was dumb, mainly because the parents should check. If they buy it for them anyways its their own fault. Making something against the rules usually makes it more inticing for kids, since getting it would be like saying "I can do what I want, yay!" which everyone wants. I do understand ratings however, since sometimes a title of a game can be misleading (or make no sense, like katimari anyone?)

but then again I am the advocate of the "let the child's maturity rather then age dictate what you show them" style of parenting. So what do I know?

[DarthRetard]

It's funny, because the video game companies will get bitched at no matter what in some of these events. Working at gamestop, we had a requirement that no one under 17 could buy a game rated M or higher (AO being the other choice, which we didnt sell.), and maybe you guys didnt know it, and maybe you did, the first rating system for games was done by Sega when Mortal Kombat first came out, if I recall correctly. I didn't know it had to do with state law anymore, I thought it was an agreement by companies and the ESRB.

[Greenday]

I'm pretty sure for the most part, there are no state laws on video games. It's just that agreement that's been made.