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.

Posted in

Comments

Submitted by nightwng2000 on Thu, 12/20/2007 - 07:39.

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

Nightwng2000 NW2K Software http://www.facebook.com/nightwing2000 Nightwng2000 is now admin to the group "Parents For Education, Not Legislation" on MySpace as http://groups.myspace.com/pfenl

Submitted by kurisu7885 (not verified) on Thu, 12/20/2007 - 07:43.

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 (not verified) on Thu, 12/20/2007 - 08:04.

@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 (not verified) on Thu, 12/20/2007 - 08:30.

@kurisu7885
that "politician" was Star Locke, and he didn't win his bid for Gov.

Submitted by broken scope (not verified) on Thu, 12/20/2007 - 08:48.

Thank god for that, that guy what a fucking nutjob.

Submitted by E. Zachary Knight on Thu, 12/20/2007 - 09:22.

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.

E. Zachary Knight
Divine Knight Gaming
OK Game Devs
Random Tower

Submitted by OtakuMan (not verified) on Thu, 12/20/2007 - 13:58.

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 (not verified) on Thu, 12/20/2007 - 15:09.

Does he look like Preznit Bush to you too?

Submitted by Mnementh2230 (not verified) on Thu, 12/20/2007 - 15:41.

@ 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 (not verified) on Thu, 12/20/2007 - 16:53.

Glad to see another backer of the ESRB for political gain or no.

Submitted by GoodRobotUs (not verified) on Thu, 12/20/2007 - 22:50.

It's odd, but I get a Max Headroom kind of feeling from that picture....

Submitted by GoodRobotUs (not verified) on Thu, 12/20/2007 - 22:51.

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 (not verified) on Sun, 03/02/2008 - 05:21.

Best site for Your!!!
origami honeymoon

Submitted by www.playerFIVE.com » Blog Archive » King Speaks, (not verified) on Tue, 04/08/2008 - 18:38.

[...] 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. [...]

Shout box

Technogeek: If the developer were male there wouldn't have been a "conversation" in the first place.10/19/2014 - 2:27am

Monte: trolls are just at their absolute worst when it comes to women and feminist. You could bet good money that if the developer were male the trolls would be silent and the conversation would actually focus on the journalism.10/18/2014 - 9:18pm

Monte: Papa: Not the first time we've had a journalism scandals before, but the harassment never got close to this level; the difference with this scandal is that feminists are involved. Without the feminist angle, their would be A LOT less harrassment10/18/2014 - 9:15pm

Papa Midnight: Monte: That's honestly rather short-sighted. As has been proven with other persons who have been targeted, if it wasn't Quinn, it would be someone else.10/18/2014 - 6:26pm

Avalongod: I think that's part of what gives an esoteric news story like this real life...it taps into a larger narrative about misogyny in society outside of games.10/18/2014 - 3:29pm

Avalongod: @Monte, well the trolls made death threats that came to police (and media attention). I think this is tapping into a larger issue outside of games about how women are treated in society (like all the "real rape" stuff during the last election)10/18/2014 - 3:28pm

Wonderkarp: Zippy : Havent tried the PS4 controller. might later.10/18/2014 - 2:37pm

Monte: Seirously, If Quinn was not involved and GG was instead about something like the Mordor Marketing contracts, the trolling would have never grown so vile and disgusting. There have been plenty of movements in the past that never sufferred from behavior..10/18/2014 - 1:57pm

Monte: We have seen scandel's before but the trolling has never been as vile as what we see with GG. Trolls usually have such a tiny voice you can barely notice them, but its like moths to a flame whenever femistist are involved.10/18/2014 - 1:53pm

ZippyDSMlee: Wonderkarp: You might be able to if you had a PS4 controller.10/18/2014 - 1:00pm

MaskedPixelante: http://store.steampowered.com/app/327940/ Night Dive starts charging for freeware.10/18/2014 - 12:21pm

Matthew Wilson: the sad thing is there are trolls on both sides of this. people need to stop acting like their side is so pure.10/18/2014 - 12:19pm

MechaTama31: So, only speak out on a scandal that hasn't attracted trolls? I wouldn't hold my breath...10/18/2014 - 10:49am

Monte: I feel like GG just needs to die. The movement is FAR to tainted by hatred and BS for it to be useful for any conversation. Let GG die, and then rally behind the NEXT gaming journalism scandal, and start the conversation fresh.10/18/2014 - 10:33am

quiknkold: and we dont have a Dovakin to call a cease fire10/17/2014 - 7:37pm

quiknkold: The whole thing is Futile. Both sides are so buried deep in their trenchs that there isnt a conversation. Its just Finger Pointing, Name Calling, Doxxing, Threats. there needs to be a serious conversation, and GG isnt it.10/17/2014 - 7:37pm

quiknkold: I thought it was a good article. Jeff is right. I feel like GamerGate did destroy its message. I am for Ethics in game journalism, but man. so much hate. and its on both sides. I've seen some awful stuff spewed on twitter. Its a big reason why I exited..10/17/2014 - 7:34pm

Matthew Wilson: while he focused on gg, he did call out both sides crap.10/17/2014 - 7:18pm

Papa Midnight: That was a damn good read offered by Jeff Gertsmann.10/17/2014 - 7:17pm

Matthew Wilson: http://www.giantbomb.com/articles/letter-from-the-editor-10-17-2014/1100-5049/ deferentially a nice write up.10/17/2014 - 6:44pm

All shouts

<< Return To Top

Forgot your password?
Username :
Password :