Texas Attorney General Climbs On Board ESRB Train

Texas Attorney General Climbs On Board ESRB Train

December 20, 2007
When we last looked in on Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott, he was busy suing the Games Radar site for alleged violations of the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA).

Abbott's latest foray into the video game arena is far more congenial, however. The Texas Republican has joined an ever-growing list of elected officials who are endorsing the ESRB's content rating system. In an ESRB press release issued yesterday, Abbott is quoted:
Parents must play an active, informed role in their children’s lives, and choosing video games is no different. ESRB ratings are an effective and informative resource that allows parents to evaluate whether video game content is appropriate for their child...

Working together, public officials and the industry can help provide parents with the tools they need to choose suitable video games for their children and families.

Abbott also appears in an ESRB-produced public service announcement (PSA). As GP has noted before, that's a sweet deal for politicians who don't mind publicly aligning themselves with the video game industry. The ESRB pays for production of the spot and TV stations air it at no cost because it's a PSA.

The bottom line? Free face time with the voters.
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Comments

Submitted by nightwng2000 - December 20, 2007 at 7:39 am -0500
Ya know, as intelligent as it appears with all the government officials jumping on the PSA boxcar, it still reminds me of the cough drop commercial with the politician and the guy in the back coughing everytime the politician says something.

After all, how quick will some of these AGs jump at proposed Anti-video game legislation when it suits their political career needs?

Nightwng2000
NW2K Software
Submitted by kurisu7885 - December 20, 2007 at 7:43 am -0500
As I remember, just months ago some Texas polichicken was proposing a 100% sales tax on things like soda, video games and potato chips.
Submitted by Roozle - December 20, 2007 at 8:04 am -0500
@kurisu7885
Now that's just ridiculous. Now, watch one of the politicians on this PSA filp flop faster than... well, a politician.
Submitted by Conejo - December 20, 2007 at 8:30 am -0500
@kurisu7885
that "politician" was Star Locke, and he didn't win his bid for Gov.
Submitted by broken scope - December 20, 2007 at 8:48 am -0500
Thank god for that, that guy what a fucking nutjob.
Submitted by E. Zachary Knight - December 20, 2007 at 9:22 am -0500
Glad to see another politicians join the ranks. I understand his concern on the Gmaes Radar thing and am glad that he has taken this move.

@ Kurisu

A 100% tax on anything would not go well with any one. It never would have passed.
Submitted by OtakuMan - December 20, 2007 at 1:58 pm -0500
While the pessimist in me might say that this is just a chance for a politician to look good in front of a camera, the optimist says that this looks like a good way for the ESA and ESRB to get friends in high places. If politicians openly endorse video game ratings, then to me that could also equate to politicians LEARNING about the political swirl around video games, video gamess legislation, and the video game industry as a whole. I'd like to think that instead of just "posing for the camera", the politicians that take part in these commercials are sincere and have or are taking active steps to learn about the issues at hand, what the ESRB and the ESA are doing to try and help parents and the game consumers, and how ridiculous some of the statements made by some game critics...

*COUGH*JACKTHOMPSON*COUGH*

...are.

Ideally, I envision that eventually, when state or national congresses get together to try and bash games and put legislation on them, that these informed individuals who helped promote the ESA will bring counter-arguments to the table without the ESA having to fight tooth and nail to prove congress wrong.

Here's hoping!

~Otaku-Man
Submitted by BlackIce, Dragunov Marksman - December 20, 2007 at 3:09 pm -0500
Does he look like Preznit Bush to you too?
Submitted by Mnementh2230 - December 20, 2007 at 3:41 pm -0500
@ Kurisu

I remember that guy - he was a fundamentalist Christian, and what he proposed was essentially a "sin tax". He didn't make it very far, as he was only running for office.

Frankly, I think the guy (not this guy, the other one we're discussing) kinda looked like Fred Phelps.
Submitted by Loudspeaker - December 20, 2007 at 4:53 pm -0500
Glad to see another backer of the ESRB for political gain or no.
Submitted by GoodRobotUs - December 20, 2007 at 10:50 pm -0500
It's odd, but I get a Max Headroom kind of feeling from that picture....
Submitted by GoodRobotUs - December 20, 2007 at 10:51 pm -0500
Damn, hit send too soon....

On a more serious note though, it IS good to see more Politicians backing a parents right to choose.

EZK: You're not spam this time :)
Submitted by iXSDsarsxy - March 2, 2008 at 5:21 am -0500
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Submitted by www.playerFIVE.com » Blog Archive » King Speaks, - April 8, 2008 at 6:38 pm -0500
[...] Note: To be fair, Pennsylvania, New York, Texas, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Utah, Iowa, Rhode Island, Idaho, and South Carolina,  have all shown some support for the current ESRB standard and “urge parents to be responsible and check game ratings”. It’s good to know there are some sane states left. [...]

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