72 Percent of Adults Support California Game Law - UPDATED

[Calatar]

Where did Common Sense Media post this?

They didn't post it, they provided me with a full copy of the poll results. What you read is what I got.

Yeah, well the results don't mean anything if the methodology is flawed. Any chance you could ask for more details about how the poll was conducted?

Obviously if it was just a open-access web questionaire, this means absolutely nothing.
The internet is full of specialized audiences. Obviously if adults from the Escapist filled it out the results would skew the opposite way.

If they did manage to get a representative sample of people, the poll still could suffer the apathy effect, where only people who care about the issue are willing to answer questions about it.

EDIT: Found this on Wikipedia:

Zogby in 1998 began developing an interactive online polling methodology using a massive database of respondents that closely represents the national population at large.

The source for this statement is the Zogby International website. Whether or not it's true, I can't say, but it would lend legitimacy to the poll if the sample was genuinely representative.

 

[Something Amyss]

Don't worry. NOTHING IS GOING TO HAPPEN. Its unconstitutional, its ilegal, and like i said before, who cares what the poll says? The poll doesn't affect teh vote and it doesn't affect the legality (or otherwise) of the bill. Once the Supreme Court of Courtiness declares it ilegal (which they will), it will all just blow over.

Except it's been ruled Unconstitutional before, and all they did was go back and look for a way around it. Don't think this is the end. It's been over a decade since the massacre at Columbine really kicked this ****storm into gear, and it won't just go away because of this ruling.

The statistic, while questionable in its own right, is scary because it will be used as a reason to keep fighting the fight. To pass new laws in new areas, altering them to offer challenge to the Supreme Court. And maybe they all get shot down. But maybe they don't. Maybe this one doesn't. But the more it's challenged, the longer it's challenged, the better the chances something sticks. And we only get that far if the people are behind it.

 

[boholikeu]

Wow, this is a really depressing survey, if only because it shows how uninformed the general public is... The video game industry has much better refusal rates than both the film and the music industry. Why aren't there any crusades to regulate those mediums as well?

"What we've learned from this poll is that parents want to be the ones who decide which games their kids play, not the videogame industry."

*Facepalm* They already are... If the law passes the government would be in charge, not the parents...

 

[magnuslion]

72 Percent of Adults Support California Game Law - UPDATED

​

Common Sense Media [http://www.commonsensemedia.org/] claims that 72 percent of adults are in favor of California's attempt to legislate the sale of violent videogames to minors because the industry isn't doing enough to protect children from inappropriate content.

The videogame industry enjoys a higher rate of age-rating compliance than any other entertainment medium in the world. The ESRB [http://www.esrb.org] not only provides comprehensive ratings for virtually every videogame on the market but also makes significant efforts to keep parents educated and informed about how the ratings work and why they're important. Game consoles even feature parental locks to help ensure that parents have the final say about what their kids play. But opinions often have little to do with facts, as evidenced by poll numbers released by Common Sense Media indicating that three-quarters of parents believe the game industry isn't doing enough to protect their children.

A survey of 2100 adults from across the U.S. found that 72 percent were in support of California's attempt to ban the sale of "ultraviolent" videogames to minors, the group said. 65 percent of parents claimed they're worried about the impact of such games on their children while 75 percent gave the videogame industry's efforts to protect children a "negative" rating.

"The results of this poll clearly show that not only do the effects of ultraviolent or sexually violent games weigh heavily on the minds of parents, but also that parents feel the videogame industry is not doing enough to protect kids from accessing these games," said Common Sense Media founder and CEO James Steyer.

To support its position that videogames are a festering cesspit of gratuitous violence and misogyny, Common Sense Media has posted a montage of outtakes from videogames like Manhunt [http://www.amazon.com/Grand-Theft-Auto-San-Andreas-Xbox/dp/B0007ZD79E/ref=sr_1_4?s=videogames&ie=UTF8&qid=1284398504&sr=1-4], broken down into categories like Violence Against Women, Violence Against Law Enforcement and Racial Stereotypes. The group describes the video as "footage of the type of videogame violence under discussion in this case."

The Supreme Court of the United States is scheduled to hear arguments on California's proposed ban on the sale of violent videogames to minors on November 2. "The Supreme Court's decision is going to have a huge impact on families and kids across the country," Steyer continued. "What we've learned from this poll is that parents want to be the ones who decide which games their kids play, not the videogame industry."

UPDATE: Common Sense Media provided us with a breakdown of the poll's methodology and narrative summary, and thus we pass it on to you. Commissioned by CSM and conducted by Zogby International, the online survey collected the opinions of 2100 adults, with "slight weights" added to region, party, age, race, gender and education "to more accurately reflect the population." The margin of error is +/- 2.2 percentage points and the questions are as follows:

1. Would you support or oppose a law that prohibits minors from purchasing videogames that depict killing, maiming or sexually assaulting an image of a human being? (Support: Adults 72 percent, parents 72 percent; Oppose: Adults 22 percent, parents 24 percent)

2. How concerned are you about the impact of ultra-violent videogames on your child? (Very/Somewhat Concerned: Adults 61 percent, parents 65 percent; Somewhat Unconcerned/Not at all concerned: Adults 28 percent, parents 31 percent)

3. How would you rate the videogame industry when it comes to protecting kids from accessing violent videogames? (Excellent/Good: Adults 12 percent, parents 13 percent; Fair/poor: Adults 76 percent, parents 75 percent)

via: Gamasutra [http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/30374/Common_Sense_Media_Claims_72_Percent_Support_Game_Ratings_Bill_.php?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+GamasutraNews+%28Gamasutra+News%29]


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That is fascinating, but does not counter my argument that they polled 2100 out of 150,000,000 and that it somehow reflects an accurate portrayal of 72% of the adult population. or the fact that they hand selected their poll takers. Or how many times they conducted this poll to get that result.

 

[boholikeu]

the header is very misleading. 72% of adults are for the the new california law? yeah, if the overall pop of california was 2100. Should be ''The news room: 72% out of 2100 adults support california game law''

btw, a moar accurate %

against the new law - 5%(very vocal)

for the new law - 5%(very vocal)

those that don't care - 90%(apathetic by nature)

thanks for the news though.

That is fascinating, but does not counter my argument that they polled 2100 out of 150,000,000 and that it somehow reflects an accurate portrayal of 72% of the adult population. or the fact that they hand selected their poll takers. Or how many times they conducted this poll to get that result.

2100 is a large enough sample (at least by current standards). Most mainstream statistics poll an equivalent amount of people.

 

[FinalHeart95]

1. Would you support or oppose a law that prohibits minors from purchasing videogames that depict killing, maiming or sexually assaulting an image of a human being? (Support: Adults 72 percent, parents 72 percent; Oppose: Adults 22 percent, parents 24 percent)

2. How concerned are you about the impact of ultra-violent videogames on your child? (Very/Somewhat Concerned: Adults 61 percent, parents 65 percent; Somewhat Unconcerned/Not at all concerned: Adults 28 percent, parents 31 percent)

3. How would you rate the videogame industry when it comes to protecting kids from accessing violent videogames? (Excellent/Good: Adults 12 percent, parents 13 percent; Fair/poor: Adults 76 percent, parents 75 percent)

1) That includes games that AREN'T EVEN RATED M. You kill humans in plenty of T rated games. Also, most probably voted yes for the last two, when they really don't exist in many games, M-rated or otherwise.
BIASED QUESTION IS BIASED.

2) You can be concerned about it without thinking there is actually a connection. I'm concerned about it, for example.
BIASED QUESTION IS BIASED.

3) They do more than the movie industry does.
FAIL QUESTION IS FAIL.

 

[Canid117]

In an unrelated study 72% of parents turned out to be half retarded.

Actually, the article said "72% of adults," Not "72% of parents." It kind of makes you wonder who they were surveying...

Probably something like this.

 

[Kelethor]

Anyone else getting the sinking sensation that videogames are Dooooooooooooomed?

 

[pigmypython]

Just yesterday, while working in a game store, I told a mother buying her 12 year old son a copy of GTA:Vice City Stories that the game was age rated 17+ and her response was:

"Oh, he doesn't turn the violence on, he just plays it for the racing."

wut.

-m

You have got to be fucking kidding me...wow, even my uninitiated parents know better than that...

 

[samsonguy920]

The first thing obvious here is a group with an oxymoron for a name. There is no such thing as Common sense.
The second thing obvious here is the group most likely did research on census polls and demographics and thus picked out the best areas to poll to get the results they wanted. They sure as hell weren't about to want to get gamer's opinions. Or responsible parents' opinions for that matter.
November 2nd will be the start of us finding out how stupid our nation really has got itself to be.

 

[CheckD3]

Wow, this is just crap. Once again the parents want someone else to take the fall because they don't care enough to not monitor what their kids are doing. They want the video game companies to do...what exactly? Come to the store with their kids and tell them they can't have a game because it contains violence?

This is annoying to hear when parents ***** out the game companies for the content. If you don't like it, be a parent and control what your kids are exposed to. Talk to them about things that they may think is right from a game you didn't monitor them, don't pass your problems on, nothing gets solved that way D:<

 

[LadyRhian]

Wait, 50 Cent: Blood on the Sand being an example of racial prejudice? Wasn't that game developed with the actual 50 Cent?

 

[Do4600]

This honestly doesn't seem like it would change much, it just looks like there would be a fine to back up the current policy of every video game seller in the United States. Also it's not the video game industry's job to protect your children from anything, just like it's not a firearm manufacturer's job to protect your child from firearms.

 

[spartan231490]

This poll clearly shows once again, parents giving more control to the government, because they refuse to be parents. Grow up, it's not the government, or societies job to make sure your kids acquiesce to your rules. That's your job.

Thank you, it's so gratifying to actually see someone else who gets it. Also, the only thing that this poll proves is that 72% of polled americans are idiots, but I kinda knew that to begin with.

And i think this picture says it very well: I don't know how to copy images into this box so i'll just post a link: http://demotivationalblog.com/demotivational/2008/11/fatherhood-if-you-kill-that-hooker-you-can-get-your-money-back.jpg

 

[Cynical skeptic]

I disagree with your assertion that if any video game fails the miller test, they all fail the miller test. The games that are being targeted have very mature themes to them. Now, the law does have a bit of ambiguity with the words "killing" and "maiming"(which would actually be my main argument against it). Could someone use that as a loophole to affect T and even E rated games? Possibly. However, it's far more probable that a court would either make the legislature be more specific in their law or the principle of legislative intent would be used(I seriously doubt it was the intent of the legislature to restrict the sale of sports games where the players can get injured).

Assuming that a loophole isn't abused, your scenario is no different than it is now. Publishers already consider what stores will or won't sell and stores will very eagerly sell M-rated games, as long as the customer is of age. Stores are voluntarily treating M-rated video games as a controlled substance.

edit: "ban" was not the correct word to use.

The miller test is all about determining obscenity. Art is protected from being deemed obscene. This law is designed around giving the miller test the final say on what is art. If the united states supreme court uphold this law, all games cease to be art. Everything from Postal 2 to Braid.

This isn't just chicken little, the law is worded to give the average person (by way of the miller test) final authority upon what is and is not art.

Aren't we forgetting something??

THIS VOTE DOESN'T MEAN SH*T!

So what if 3/4 of US adults don't like fun? Its just a survey. IT DOESN'T MATTER! It doesn't affect the Supreme Court's vote, it doesn't affect the unconstitutionality of this bill (If that's not a word, I'm making it one), and it doesn't affect the fact that the Supreme Court of Courtliness has only agreed to vote for briefs. Only if 4 out of nine judges want to hear it will the case actually be brought up. If not, it will be dismissed FOREVER AS UNCONSTITUTIONAL! This is the Supreme Court, people. Their word is LITERALLY law. Do you think that the SUPREME FREAKING COURT really cares about little Bobby in Sacramento playing Saint's Row?

Completely biased bullshit like this is what got the case to be heard by the supreme court at all. The fact they're continuing to spew more and more, desperately hoping to use false press to influence the supreme court's decision making process should piss you off and terrify you at the same time.

These people only want video games deemed obscene, and thus subject to defacto bans as most retailers will choose to simply not carry any video game deemed obscene rather than rely entirely upon a very unspecific "blacklist" of games that cannot be sold if even suspected of being for a minor.

Just to be perfectly clear, yes, this poll is moronic. The people who made it are morons. But its targeting a very specific, very powerful group of morons who really don't have any sort of connection with this subject and will base their decision to on whether or not video games should be protected by the first amendment upon bullshit like this.

 

[K_Dub]

I just don't understand it! The video game rating system doesn't protect kids from buying or playing anything! The rating system is a set of guide lines used to inform parents and adults what games are appropriate for a particular age group based on the game's content so that then, the PARENTS can decide what they feel is appropriate for their child/children to play, until they feel their offspring is mature and grown up enough to make that decision for themselves!! What is it about this idea that people just don't understand!?!

 

[dillirgaf]

Might as well have asked do you agree with the killing of puppies and given to your children for christmas.

personally i agree with forcing a parent to buy a mature game for a kid. Make the parents look up what they are going to buy before having a heart attack when they see little 12 year Jimmy killing an airport full of people. It's called being a parent and not letting the government do it for you.