72 Percent of Adults Support California Game Law - UPDATED

[Zealous]

This is what I really hate. Instead of voting in a poll, the parents should be looking at the games their kids play. If you don't like the games children are playing, get up off your ass, go into their room, get the games they're playing and check them online for objectionable content.
It's not the game developer's fault that these parents don't actively know what their kids are playing. Furthermore, it's completely unfair to ban sales of video games to all minors because of this. Age is not a factor in maturity. I know plenty of 12 year olds far more sensible, mature, and intelligent than most adults.
Also, it's quite obvious that the questions (and the possible responses) made with the specific intent of the polled to agree with their ideals (I realize that this happens with virtually every single poll, but it's very evident here). Lumping fair and poor together in the came category is a complete dick move on their part.
And thirdly, the footage in both GTA and Postal are both not a central part of those games. If you don't want to beat up prostitutes and piss on flaming corpses you will never even have a subliminal message in the game -let alone actual directives- telling you to do that. I do however agree that Manhunt/Condemned/etc. are truly messed up games. As for 50 Cent: BOTS, he a walking stereotype in real life. Unless they changed his personality/appearance/etc. he's still going to be a black gangster rapper.

 

[SNIPERFOX ft. Harry P.Ness]

wait why is portal 2 here isnt it non viloent? im mean, its a bloody puzzle game. whenvi was on holidyas in california kast year i bought a few 14 plus games and one game was 16's i was not allowoed to buy them because the clerk said 12 year olds arnt allowed those game. i eventually proved i was 14 after starting a huge line, i walked home happily with my games

Probably should read that again...it's Postal 2.

ohhhh. sory its hard to bloody read this stuff on an ipad.

 

[omega 616]

They chose two of the most violent games ever released, a game from the most controversial series ever and one where you play as a guy who known for songs such as "candy shop" ....

All films should be treated the same 'cos oldboy, saw, American history X and the devils rejects influence kids.

Forgetting to mention the other million plus games that have no violence in. Also forgetting that these games are rated 18, so only 18 should be able to get there grubby little mitts on them.

 

[niblik]

Pardon me, but I thought its a job of fucking parents to protect their children from inappropriate content.

Cor Blimey...

It is.

I personally believe its a problem built out of parents who buy games to shut their kids up and ones that aren't willing to look in the mirrow when those sames kids get caught playing games too violent for their age.

Hell, my parents wouldn't have bought anything like that for me and if I got caught, they would ground my ass for a few months. Sheez, they never would have asked their state govt to pass a law about it...

 

[Guy Montag]

the questions are a blatant example of survey bias. an 'ultraviolent' game is not defined, and regardless the idea that all video games should be regulated based on the perceived fault of a few is stupid.

 

[ninjapenguin981]

Yeah I get that,

I'm confused, how are these kids buying video games that are rated above their age?

MUMMY MUMMY MUMMY
MUMMY MUMMY MUMMY
MUMMY MUMMY MUMMY
MUMMY MUMMY MUMMY
MUMMY MUMMY MUMMY
MUMMY MUMMY MUMMY
MUMMY MUMMY MUMMY
MUMMY MUMMY MUMMY
MUMMY MUMMY MUMMY
MUMMY MUMMY MUMMY
MUMMY MUMMY MUMMY

*sigh* Ok...here it is.

Uh madam, that game is labelled 18.

DON'T YOU TELL ME WHAT MY KIDS CAN'T DO!

...

OH MY GOD IT'S FULL OF BLOOD, WILL NO-ONE THINK OF THE CHILDREN? HOW DARE YOU SELL ME THIS GAME!

Yes obviously, but what is this law going to do? The parents will just pretend they're buying it for themselves.

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

Yes obviously, but what is this law going to do? The parents will just pretend they're buying it for themselves.

Bingo. No change to how the kids get the game, but it makes it ludicrously dangerous for anyone to actually stock the games. Think of treating 18 games as Methadone (Morphine) and you've just about got it.

Still won't change that kids get their hands on it, just means it's harder for adults.

 

[Nieroshai]

Pardon me if I'm wrong, but isn't this the norm? I got ID'ed to buy Mafia 2 the other day because the cashier didn't think I was 17 (I'm 21, lol). Isn't it already illegal to sell these games to minors? Isn't that why there's a rating system in the first place?

What will this Californian law change?

For that matter, what IS the law? We just saw a survey.

 

[narwhalman218]

The video game industry doesn't do enough to keep the games out of the hands of minors? ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME!?! Seriously, to all parents, it is YOUR JOB to control what your kids do, NOT the governments! And besides, 99.9% of retailers don't sell M rated games to people without ID, so suck it!

/rant.

Thanks for the article Andy. I hope to God, Yahweh, Allah, Odin, Vishnu, and Zeus that we win this case.

You forgot Ra. This whole issue shouldn't even exist. If parents knew anything about video games they would realize how stupid this whole issue is.

 

[thatstheguy]

ANY VIOLENCE IN A GAME IS UP TO THE PLAYER TO COMMIT. THEY ARE NOT FORCED TO DO SO.

That's like saying the quarterback in football doesn't "have" to do anything with the ball. Sure it's his/the teams choice, but it goes against the reason you're playing the game in the first place. There are games that don't have violence, but would you honestly tell me you'd play something like Counter-Strike and decide not to shoot anyone? These are the types of games that are gonna be banned to minors anyway. Which brings me to this topic. A lot of mature content is restricted to minors. In fact, most of the stores I went to years ago wouldn't let me buy games since I was a minor. I don't see why it's a big deal (Other than the parents relying on the government to parent their kids. Even so, it's not like it effects us. Nor will it be bad that kids can't get M rated game)

 

[Scars Unseen]

Is anyone surprised by these results? Do you really think that people think things through before answering these obviously slanted questions? Let's change them up a bit, and take a guess at how the results would change, shall we?


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?
Would you support or oppose a law that denies video games the same 1st amendment protections that are currently enjoyed by books, paintings, movies, music and comic books?

2. How concerned are you about the impact of ultra-violent videogames on your child?
You know, I'd leave this one alone as a set up for 3.

3. How would you rate the videogame industry when it comes to protecting kids from accessing violent videogames?
Do you perform your own research before buying media(to include movies, music and video games) for you child, or do you rely on the media industry and government to decide what your child should be exposed to?

Different results? Yeah, thought so. No one is going to admit to being a lousy parent that opposes the Constitution. At least not on in writing.

 

[Flamma Man]

Double post, argh.

 

[Flamma Man]

ANY VIOLENCE IN A GAME IS UP TO THE PLAYER TO COMMIT. THEY ARE NOT FORCED TO DO SO.

That's like saying the quarterback in football doesn't "have" to do anything with the ball. Sure it's his/the teams choice, but it goes against the reason you're playing the game in the first place. There are games that don't have violence, but would you honestly tell me you'd play something like Counter-Strike and decide not to shoot anyone?

I sure he was referring to the video and how the player, an obvious employee, beats a woman with a shovel, pees on her, burns her alive, shoots her with a sniper rifle three times and then pees on her more.

He means that players aren't forced to do this unless they feel like being an absolute horrible human being.

Goes for GTA too, you don't have to beat hookers to death or kill everyone with a pulse.

Most gamers don't really do these things unless they just want to act like a dick, especially like in the Postal 2 clip.

 

[cryofpaine]

Is anyone surprised by these results? Do you really think that people think things through before answering these obviously slanted questions? Let's change them up a bit, and take a guess at how the results would change, shall we?


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?
Would you support or oppose a law that denies video games the same 1st amendment protections that are currently enjoyed by books, paintings, movies, music and comic books?

2. How concerned are you about the impact of ultra-violent videogames on your child?
You know, I'd leave this one alone as a set up for 3.

3. How would you rate the videogame industry when it comes to protecting kids from accessing violent videogames?
Do you perform your own research before buying media(to include movies, music and video games) for you child, or do you rely on the media industry and government to decide what your child should be exposed to?

Different results? Yeah, thought so. No one is going to admit to being a lousy parent that opposes the Constitution. At least not on in writing.

You do realize that it is illegal for a store to sell an R rated movie to a minor, or theaters to sell minors tickets to an R rated movie, right? I was carded when I bought The Matrix. Yes it's up to the parents to actually parent their children, but at the same time, why shouldn't we provide them a helping hand?

 

[Cynical skeptic]

You do realize that it is illegal for a store to sell an R rated movie to a minor, or theaters to sell minors tickets to an R rated movie, right? I was carded when I bought The Matrix. Yes it's up to the parents to actually parent their children, but at the same time, why shouldn't we provide them a helping hand?

The MPAA is not law. Like the ESRB, its an independant body that studios, theaters, and rental chains follow voluntarily. Not to mention, ticket booths and rental chains can't refuse to sell tickets unless its a NC-17 movie. But most cinemas will outright refuse to screen NC-17 films.

This law is about saying the ESRB is irrelevant and using the miller test to determine if games can be sold if even suspected for being for a minor. Rather than deal with this, most retailers will simply refuse to carry anything the law affects.

The absolute worst part about this law is it seems reasonable if you aren't exactly aware of the full ramifications and powers of the miller test.

 

[Scars Unseen]

You do realize that it is illegal for a store to sell an R rated movie to a minor, or theaters to sell minors tickets to an R rated movie, right? I was carded when I bought The Matrix. Yes it's up to the parents to actually parent their children, but at the same time, why shouldn't we provide them a helping hand?

And this is why I reworded the questions. Most people think the same thing that you do. And they're just as wrong. That kind of assumption is what makes the proposal seem so innocent to the majority.

There are only two forms of media(that I know of) that are regulated by law in the USA: hardcore pornography and child pornography. Everything else is regulated by the industry. That is the status that California is trying to place upon video games. Even softcore porn would rank higher than video games at that point. Does that sound reasonable? Is that what we want for our hobby?

This law is a wolf wearing fleece. It wasn't written to protect your children. It was written to take you, the parent, out of the equation. It is a legal document telling you that you are incompetent, and that the government knows best. And if it is let into your yard it will leave the gate open for even worse laws down the road.

 

[littlebunnyfifi]

Wah wah violence is bad; then stop being bad parents and buying the video games for those greedy little, spoiled shits.

Edit: No government we aren't stupid; you are.

 

[Reaper195]

Parents need to get their balls out of their asses and stop buying video games for their kids. Make the fuckers work for the money to buy them, and suffer not being able to buy game with higher ages than their own...

 

[Snotnarok]

Why are we having this vote work in California? It's filled with hippies, well San Fran is. Point being let's do this in one of the more sensible less sensitive states like New York or Texas.

 

[Ken Sapp]

Regarding the update to add the poll questions and results.

On question 3 it lumps together everyone who answered poor of fair. Isn't fair generally a good/average type response

References

Merriam-Webster.com
10a : sufficient but not ample : adequate
thefreedictionary.com
9. Moderately good; acceptable or satisfactory

Dictionary.com
4. neither excellent nor poor; moderately or tolerably good

yourdictionary.com
12. neither very bad nor very good; average