Video games are still taking a beating from politicians and other opponents who feel that they cause real-world violence, with Connecticut being one of the hotbeds of controversy.  Will the ACLU save the day?

A proposed bill in Connecticut would ban anyone under 18 from playing point-and-shoot video games in public places within the state, such as movie theaters and arcades.  In addition to this restriction, the proposed bill would also form a task force dedicated to studying the effects that violent games have on their players.

American Civil Liberties Union lawyer David McGuire opposed the bill at a public hearing earlier this week, saying that no causal link between violent video games and real-world violence currently exists.  He also noted that just like books and movies, video games are protected free speech. 

McGuire used a landmark Supreme Court decision from 2011 as precedent, which said that a law that prevented retailers from selling violent games to children was unconstitutional.  State representative White Betts (R-Bristol) opposed McGuire during the hearing, calling the Supreme Court’s decision misguided.  “I know what the law says, but to me, it lacks common sense,” said Betts.

It remains to be seen whether this proposed legislation will actually get approved, but if it does, it would be a big victory for the anti-gaming crowd.

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