Video game legislation proposal: videogame ID checks |
Ó
Two House members have introduced a new bill that will make video game retailers perform identification checks in order to prohibit minors from purchasing games meant for adults. The people behind this bill are Lee Terry (R-Neb.) and Jim Matheson (D-Utah).Last Wednesday, the pair introduced the bill known as the Video Games Ratings Enforcement Act so that kids "can only access age appropriate content without parental permission,” said Terry.
This bill will put a requirement of ID checks before consumers can fully purchase video games that have have been given Mature (M) or Adult Only (AO) ratings, presumably by the ESRB.
Furthermore, retailers will have to post the ratings system in their respective stores for people to have a proper knowledge on the ratings of the video games. Those who fail to follow this regulation will be fined a civil penalty of about US$ 5,000.
Even though numerous bills have been turned down in the past, Terry is keeping his hopes up for this particular bill. He explained:
This bill doesnÂ’t involve itself in content or defining the standards for "mature" or "adults only". It simply requires the retailer to post what the industry has defined as "mature" and "adults only" so that parents can know, and requires checking of identification.
This is certainly an interesting take on making bills for video games and children, just like the "games-as-porn" bill in Massachusetts and the "ultra violent" game bill in Oregon. Question is, how will the bill fare? Only time will tell. We'll keep you guys updated on the developments of this matter.
Via Variety
45 Jumps PlayStation celebrates 15th birthday
34 Jumps PSP homebrew - MHUSPEED v3
21 Jumps PSP homebrew - MacroFire v3.0.12
17 Jumps PSP homebrew - PSPInstaller v2
Contact Us:
The QJ.net Network |
 |
| Site | Feed |
| QJ.NET | RSS |
| Nintendo DS | RSS |
| PlayStation 3 | RSS |
| PSP Updates | RSS |
| Wii | RSS |
| Xbox 360 | RSS |
| MMORPG | RSS |
| Personal Computer Games | RSS |
| iPhone - iPod Touch | RSS |
| QJ.NET Forums | RSS |
Add QJ.NET
User Favorites - December
User Favorites - December
Categories
Archives
Accessories
Add-ons
Applications
Artwork
Batteries
Cheats
Deals
Emulators
Events
Featured Articles
Firmware
Flash Applications
Flash games
Game Demos
Games
Hacks & Exploits
Homebrew Applications
Homebrew Demos
Homebrew Development
Homebrew Emulators
Homebrew Games
Homebrew Themes
How-To
Humor
Imports
Interviews
Magazines
Mods
MY QJ
News
Off Topic
On Shelves This Week
Opinions & Analysis
Podcasts
Previews
PSP Go
PSP Minis
PSP Slim & Lite
QJ How-To Series
QuickJump QuickGuide
QuickJump QuickPeek
Reviews
Rumors
Scans
Screenshots
Site News
Titles
UMD Movies
Videos
Weekend Warrior
Wi-Fi
December 2009
November 2009
October 2009
September 2009
August 2009
July 2009
June 2009
May 2009
April 2009
March 2009
February 2009
January 2009
December 2008
November 2008
October 2008
September 2008
August 2008
July 2008
June 2008
May 2008
April 2008
March 2008
February 2008
January 2008
December 2007
November 2007
October 2007
September 2007
August 2007
July 2007
June 2007
May 2007
April 2007
March 2007
February 2007
January 2007
December 2006
November 2006
October 2006
September 2006
August 2006
July 2006
June 2006
May 2006
April 2006
March 2006
February 2006
January 2006
December 2005
November 2005
October 2005
September 2005
August 2005
July 2005
June 2005
May 2005
April 2005
March 2005
February 2005
January 2005
Comments [refresh]
1. all comercial retailers who sell video games already check for id. the few who don't are far and between
2. ESRB rating system, after Jack Thompson and other peoples attacks, are pretty well known. they go like this to them. Kid friendly, and not kid friendly. If the ESRB rating system has to be plastered on a wall, the people who know nothing about it wouldn't know what to do with it.
3. No console allows AO games, and I have never seen an AO game on a shelf of any retailer. The only place to get them is off the internet, and yes, that will soon be the easiest place for a minor to get his hands on M rated games.
This should have been a law already. Many stores that are supposed to check for ID, in actuality do not. Maybe this will improve once the law is passed. There are certain things which are not meant for kids, that's why we have age checks for renting movies. It's about time they got around to doing it for video games.
I couldn't agree more! cruckel is incorrect when he/she claims that most retailers check for ID.
As for "no console" allowing AO games??? Not sure what the heck he/she is talking about. That's flat out false.
The funny part about this is, this is exactly what we've been trying to pass all along. However idiots like Jack have to throw up smoke screens of violence that take away from the point then they've been getting turned down. With reasons such as FREEDOM OF SPEECH. No one ever wanted to ban the material just restrict the material. Which makes the outcomes even more confusing.
Now that they're focusing on the actual issue, maybe we can get somewhere!
so that kids "can only access age appropriate content without parental permission,” said Terry.
Does that not makes sense or am I just stupid?
Now this is an idea that makes sense. They do ID checks in stores for things like cigarettes, which are meant for adults only, so why not so the same for M rated games. It keep them on the shelves along with the others and will make it trickier for those under the recommended age to get hold of the games.
BTW, ISOHaven, by "no console not allowing AO games" they meant the various console manufacturers will not approve any AO third party titles.
Better still,
You shouldn't be allowed to trade legal tender w/o parental consent.
If you can dodge a beer you can dodge a dollar!
there a thing call the INTERNET!! and you can buy what ever you want.
as you said they do ID checks for cig and beer etc. But hey, have you seen a highschool kid smoking on the street ever? If you haven't may be your hood is too righteous but I can tell you I see tons of them. Smoking, drinking etc etc. If that doesn't work for years guess how effective it is for game control.
For the most part, you are correct.
Every store I have been to in the last THREE YEARS has carded me, only recently turning 17 in January I've been forced to show my ID everywhere; GameStop, EB, Walmart, BestBuy, Target..
This bill is a waste of time. I don't want to hear about how no one is checking when it has been in the news several times over the last few years. It's obviously an issue to some people, but I for one don't care. At all.
"But hey, have you seen a highschool kid smoking on the street ever?"
Um...did you even think for one second HOW they got them?
Stealing from parents? Parents buying it for them?
The kids that are smoking EQUALS the kids whose parents let them play the game anyway.
In FACT your comment here only PROVES that it DOES work.
As for those kids that steal them....if a kid steal his/hers parents copy of GTA4 then...OH WELL...that's the parents problem.
My POS step mother buys/gives my 14 year old sister cigs all the time. That's HER CHOICE. It's HER CHOICE because the store WILL NOT sell them to my sister.
So, just because my 14 year old sister smokes doesn't mean the system isn't working. It's working JUST FINE. It's my POS step mother that has failed.
This is why I find it hilarious that people view this type of regulation and THROW CHILDISH FITS about how the "man" or the government wants to raise our kids for us. When it's exactly the opposite. This type of regulation ALLOWS us to raise our own kids.
You care enough to post.
So, you've been in each of the 3,000+ Walmarts? That's just Walmart!
That's a pretty small box you're living in....
I would know, the times when my mom took me to pick up God of War 2, when my sister had to cover me when I wanted Halo 1 PC, to getting the Wii version of RE4, the retailers at EBGames (before merge), GameStop, and Wally World check for ID. From what I've seen, the only places where I haven't seen the ID check enforced right are rental places like Hollywood Video and Blockbuster.