Zer0-Sum
01-19-2007, 01:34 AM
Usually I find that 1UP are just a bunch of anti-PS3 morons, but this piece actually has some merit. Imagine that! It seems that no matter what happens, the Legislators of this country and bound and determined to put the screws down on video games come hell or high water. I wonder if the morons that wrote this piece of tax payer money wasting legislation noticed that every single other piece of similar legislation was slammed by the courts and sent into oblivion where they belong. It is sad that our government are aloud to waste time, effort, and out tax payer dollars on such crap. Well, at least the tax payer dollars in NY that is. They are suckers if they think this crap is going to work.
NY Laws Seek to Block Sales to Gamers Under 30
Heavyhanded anti-game legislation heads to Big Apple.
By Mark Whiting, 01/17/2007
Much like Boris Johnson, the State of New York apparently simply refuses to believe that those 'little hypnotic machines' are innocent.
Two newly-proposed laws are in the process of winding their way through the the NY legal system right now. Both proposals are aimed squarely at setting up restrictions on the sales of certain types of (read: violent) video games to minors. Legal blog GamePolitics has coverage detailing both proposals in-depth.
Exhibit A: A proposed law put forth by Rep. Keith Wright which aims to limit the sales of any game whose content contains "racial or religious violence." Scratch the surface however, and the list of ban-worthy content broadens somewhat. Check it: Should this law actually be passed it would prevent any minor in New York from purchasing a game which contains or depicts:
* commission of a violent crime
* suicide
* sexual violence
* violent racism
* religious violence
* illegal use of drugs & alcohol
That's a pretty all-encompassing list -- especially the first and last entries. Rep. Wright's law also mandates the creation of an "Adults Only" section in your local game store, where any game containing the above is kept under lock and key, accessible only to people over 30.
Exhibit B: A proposal known as A02024 put forth by Rep. Aurelia Greene, which also aims to ban the sale of violent video games to minors. In this case it's games that contain "adult images such as morbid violence, rape, alcohol and illegal drug use, as well as other malicious acts" which are to be put under lock and key to anyone under the age of majority.
It's interesting to note that in the official record of the N.Y. Assembly, the fiscal implications of passing a law like A02024 are currently listed as "None".
Of course these sorts of proposals generally tend to be of the 'stand up, knock down' variety. The history of the courts striking down such legislation goes just about as far back as politicians who attempt to bolster their own image by capitalizing on the public fear and hysteria over the bogeyman of video gaming. It's interesting to note that recently, courts have begun penalizing entities who purposely waste their time with attempts at passing frivolous and unconstitutional anti-videogame legislation. You'd think might deter motions like the ones seen above, somewhat, wouldn't you?
All of this begs the question: What the heck is going on in NY right now that videogames should come under this kind of concentrated fire? Word to the senators: the last game we saw advocating religious violence wasn't actually published by Rockstar. Just sayin.'
http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3156448
NY Laws Seek to Block Sales to Gamers Under 30
Heavyhanded anti-game legislation heads to Big Apple.
By Mark Whiting, 01/17/2007
Much like Boris Johnson, the State of New York apparently simply refuses to believe that those 'little hypnotic machines' are innocent.
Two newly-proposed laws are in the process of winding their way through the the NY legal system right now. Both proposals are aimed squarely at setting up restrictions on the sales of certain types of (read: violent) video games to minors. Legal blog GamePolitics has coverage detailing both proposals in-depth.
Exhibit A: A proposed law put forth by Rep. Keith Wright which aims to limit the sales of any game whose content contains "racial or religious violence." Scratch the surface however, and the list of ban-worthy content broadens somewhat. Check it: Should this law actually be passed it would prevent any minor in New York from purchasing a game which contains or depicts:
* commission of a violent crime
* suicide
* sexual violence
* violent racism
* religious violence
* illegal use of drugs & alcohol
That's a pretty all-encompassing list -- especially the first and last entries. Rep. Wright's law also mandates the creation of an "Adults Only" section in your local game store, where any game containing the above is kept under lock and key, accessible only to people over 30.
Exhibit B: A proposal known as A02024 put forth by Rep. Aurelia Greene, which also aims to ban the sale of violent video games to minors. In this case it's games that contain "adult images such as morbid violence, rape, alcohol and illegal drug use, as well as other malicious acts" which are to be put under lock and key to anyone under the age of majority.
It's interesting to note that in the official record of the N.Y. Assembly, the fiscal implications of passing a law like A02024 are currently listed as "None".
Of course these sorts of proposals generally tend to be of the 'stand up, knock down' variety. The history of the courts striking down such legislation goes just about as far back as politicians who attempt to bolster their own image by capitalizing on the public fear and hysteria over the bogeyman of video gaming. It's interesting to note that recently, courts have begun penalizing entities who purposely waste their time with attempts at passing frivolous and unconstitutional anti-videogame legislation. You'd think might deter motions like the ones seen above, somewhat, wouldn't you?
All of this begs the question: What the heck is going on in NY right now that videogames should come under this kind of concentrated fire? Word to the senators: the last game we saw advocating religious violence wasn't actually published by Rockstar. Just sayin.'
http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3156448