Congress To Consider Age Limits On Violent Games

labrat1123 writes "It looks like Congress is getting ready to revisit the 'Protect Children from Video Game Sex and Violence Act.' Cliff Notes version: It would become a federal crime to sell or rent a violent video game to anyone under 18. Entire article available on CNN." Note that this is not a law; it's a bill being readied for reintroduction after its original version was killed last session.

It's so encouraging to know ...

[burgburgburg]

that in this time of imminent war, collapsed economy and everpresent terror that our legislators have their priorities set straight. I can sleep easier now.

What I want is...

[CharlieO]

Bahhh

What I want to see is the 'Protect Lawful Consumers from Iditotic Protectionist Legistlation Act'

Me, violent?

[escher]

Lessee... Combat, Duke Nukem, Wolfenstein 3D, Duke Nukem 3D, Doom, Quake, Unreal, Unreal Tournament, Warcraft II, Starcraft, Warcraft III...

*looks around*

Nope, haven't killed any people yet.

Well that's just wonderful...

[Anonymous Coward]

Today Congress decided to follow the model of a popular website and begin re-examining old bills.
Next up for review is the issue of women's sufferage. This is expected to be a highly contested ...

Well, you get the idea. Nothing will be said that hasn't been previously said before on this subject.

This is actually good!

[Anonymous Coward]

Soon, it will be illegal to sell or loan books containing violence to persons under age 18. That would include the Bible, and keeping that mind-warping drivel from our youth will help break the cycle of these right wing conservative fucks who keep making these retarded bills!!!!!

A Simple Request

[HorrorIsland]

Please add a rider prohibiting marketing, sales, and playing to and by persons over 30 years of age. I've been putting off an awful lot of chores. Besides, my thumbs are starting to hurt. Thanks.

about time

[tps12]

It's good to finally see some legislation on this. If we had had age limits on violent video games, I would have never made the mistake of playing Duke Nukem 3D last week. I don't know if I'll ever recover.

There are benefits

[mrtroy]

The man show can get that little fat kid dressed in a scouts outfit to try and find people to go into bestbuy and buy him a copy of Grand Theft Auto 4 instead of condoms and a 6pack.
The only let down is he wont be able to ask a redhead girl if her carpets match the curtains because unfortunately he will only be soliciting males since its best buy.

And dear god when I have children I may not buy them beer when they are 12 but they can have a gory game anyday...I REALLY dont want to find them in their room with 3 friends huddled around a wired magazine giggling or something *shudder*

Re:Me, violent?

[Anonymous Coward]

The operative word in your last sentence being yet...

is this considered voilence?

[YAN3D]

OMG! Hes got a knife!!! [planetnintendo.com]

Whew!

[BFaucet]

I was a DOOM fanatic when I was 12 and I went on a murderous rampage when I was 13... wait... no I didn't. That's right! I remember now... I would take out the stress of the day's being picked on by shooting virtual creatures and became less violent towards my peers.

phew!

[frenetic3]

It looks like Congress is getting ready to revisit the 'Protect Children from Video Game Sex

thank god! i always wondered why my friend's DOOM manual was a little sticky.

Pssst...Hey, Mister...

[zillyorg]

The parking lot of Best Buy will come to resemble the parking lot at the liquor store....

"Psst. Hey, Mister. Here's fifty bucks. Can you go inside and get a copy of GTA Vice City for me?"

Re:about time

[exp(pi*sqrt(163))]

About time people raised this subject. After all these years I finally had the courage to install Doom on my PC a few days ago. Oh my God! I was pretty disturbed. The sounds were really creepy. And I stayed up late to play. I really felt like I was there and that there were really horrible things lurking in the shadows. And the art in the game is just horrible. I think at one point you see the mangled innards of a corpse. How can this be legal? I haven't slept since. I really can't imagine that there'll ever be a time when I recover. How can I forget what I saw and heard? You can't just choose to forget.

I'm glad that you had the courage to speak up!

Re:I'm sick of this.

[filmsmith]

so......you want to put a rating system on parents?

Oh, the Children! (TM)

[goingincirclez]

"Save the Children from Drug-laced shroom hallucinations": (Super Mario Bros.)

"Protect our children from reckless race-driver wannabes": (Ridge Racer, Wipeout, etc etc)

"Save the children from mind-melt controller-tossitis" (Tetris)

"Teach children tolerance for ghosts of all colors" (Pac-man, Luigi's Mansion)

"The Crusade to stop anti-alien racism" (Contra, Half-life, etc etc)

Get a grip! I opine that ratings are a generally a good thing. But I hate the whole "Save the children" "Promote tolerance" angle politicians use... it's demeaning.

There are people who need, want, and/or should be informed for whatever reason about the content of media they may be interested in. Big deal. Settle on a standard and let the people make their own decisions, and parents assume their responsibility. Leave the Children (TM) out of it.

Re:It's so encouraging to know ...

[Gortbusters.org]

You might wonder why the army doesn't push the virtual immitations more to train the youngsters for the real thing? Hah!

Re:It's so encouraging to know ...

[|absolut|]

so is this what led to the invention of the backhand?

Re:Me, violent?

[escher]

Well, I suppose I could join the army and kill some 'o them homo-sapiens, but with my WC3 training I'd probably just get put in tactical.

"Sir! The enemy has been spotted over yonder sand dune!"

*rubs hands together* "Perfect! Okay, everyone gather 'round the archmage! We're gonna teleport into their midst and take out their production lines! You, Private Bulletfodder! Call the CO and..."

"Sir! What the fsck is an archmage, Sir!?"

"Um... hm. Do we have any steam tanks?"

"Sir, we have a few hundred regular tanks, Sir!"

"Damn! What about elven healers? We need those or the assult will fail!"

"Sir, what the fsck, Sir!"

"Kodo beasts?"

"No, Sir!"

"Griffens? Archers? Ancients? Death Knights?"

"No!"

"At least a few Dark Templars, right?"

"No, and you're confused, Sir!"

"Um. Okay... we retreat! Get the zepplins!"

"... Sir... zepplins??"

"You know, from those goblin folk!"

"Sir, the CO recommends we shoot you through the head with extreme prejudise... pregudiss... predj... with extreme evilness!"

*bang!* *thud!* *bleeeeeeed...*
"I'm slain! Oh, it's a far better thing I do for my people than I could ever country for... I mean... to put food on my family... or... *gasp*... to be or not to am! With... with carrots! Carrots and lima beans!"

*bang!*

"Ow!" *dies*

yet another obligatory reference

[goatasaur]

"It's impossible for me to fire a pistol. If you'll check me medical records, you'll see I have a cripplin' arthritis in me index fingerrrs. Look at 'em! I got it from "Space Invaders" in 1977."

"Aw, yeah. That was a pretty addictive video game."

"Video game?"

Re:Blame the parents not the retailers

[Neil Watson]

No, I don't have my own kids. However, as a foster parent, I often see the results of bad parenting. Not the least of which is bad language.

I think George Carlin said it best

[Hektor_Troy]

"Now they're thinking about banning toy guns ... and they're gonna keep the fucking real ones!!! "

3D Realms Official Statement on the Bill

[Kaz Riprock]

3D Realms, maker of the Duke Nukem line of games, had only this to say on the matter:

This bill, and not our inability to code, is why Duke Nukem Forever is taking so long to release. We want to be sure that our core target audience will be old enough to purchase the game if this bill were to take effect.

They set a maximum age limit!

[HarveyBirdman]

No one OVER 18 allowed to play.

All adults will have to find something more productive to do with their time.

What's next?

[jhouserizer]

What's next?

- Age limits on violent crimes?

DOOM TAUGHT ME...

[Anonymous Coward]

to kill every mother fucker in the room, then shoot thier dead remains...

now i'm waiting for that BFG i bought off ebay... sure is taking a long time... then i'll show em...

(yes this was a joke. now that i am 18, i will probly leave this country, too many laws and lawyers.)