Washington State Attorney General Reminds Parents to Check Video Game Ratings
Washington State Attorney General Reminds Parents to Check Video Game Ratings
May 17, 2008
Apparently in response to recent complaints about violent and sexual video game content, Rob McKenna (R), Attorney General of Washington, has issued a press release reminding parents to check video game ratings for their children.
McKenna said:
A Washington state law requires retailers to inform consumers about video game ratings. Parents need to be aware that some of the most popular games contain content that is potentially harmful for youth and may be deemed offensive. A rating of ‘M’ for mature can include intense violence and sexual scenes.
Grand Theft Auto IV came in for a brief mention in the press release, which also noted objections to the game lodged by Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD).
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Rodrigo Ybáñez García: I designed this shirt for Jack debate today: http://i44.tinypic.com/2552t89.jpg
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BearDogg-X: There's a one minute and a half preview of the video game episode of Penn & Teller: Bullshit! up at http://www.sho.com/site/ptbs/home.do
BearDogg-X: There's a one minute and a half preview of the video game episode of Penn & Teller: Bullshit! up at http://www.sho.com/site/ptbs/home.do
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Michael Chandra: I missed out on Jack? =(
Michael Chandra: I missed out on Jack? =(
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Escanor94: hmm, looks like when someone gets banned all their comments are automaticly deleted
Escanor94: hmm, looks like when someone gets banned all their comments are automaticly deleted
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Arcanagos: aww, did i miss the JT party? :(
Arcanagos: aww, did i miss the JT party? :(
Posted 07/03/09 at 11:00pm
Leet Gamer Jargon: Where's the recent JT bullcrap? Which comments section has he vomited on? EDIT: Nevermind; it's in the "Radio" thread.
Leet Gamer Jargon: Where's the recent JT bullcrap? Which comments section has he vomited on? EDIT: Nevermind; it's in the "Radio" thread.
Posted 07/03/09 at 09:17pm
BearDogg-X: I wonder what the Metropolitian Moron of Miami said in response to my comment saying that he got a dose of his medicine on the SGC09 Debate thread?
BearDogg-X: I wonder what the Metropolitian Moron of Miami said in response to my comment saying that he got a dose of his medicine on the SGC09 Debate thread?
Posted 07/03/09 at 06:51pm
Rodrigo Ybáñez García: He gets offended with a bunch of flowers.
Rodrigo Ybáñez García: He gets offended with a bunch of flowers.
Posted 07/03/09 at 06:49pm
GoodRobotUs: LOL He takes offence at the fact he might have *chosen* to be crazy?
GoodRobotUs: LOL He takes offence at the fact he might have *chosen* to be crazy?
Posted 07/03/09 at 06:47pm
Rodrigo Ybáñez García: He warned me to get a lawyer after I called him "crazy by his own choice"... that´s libel for him
Rodrigo Ybáñez García: He warned me to get a lawyer after I called him "crazy by his own choice"... that´s libel for him
Posted 07/03/09 at 06:45pm
HilaryDuffGta: "libel" what did he threaten now?
HilaryDuffGta: "libel" what did he threaten now?
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Rodrigo Ybáñez García: Was fun to be threatened for "libel" again.
Rodrigo Ybáñez García: Was fun to be threatened for "libel" again.
Posted 07/03/09 at 06:26pm
HilaryDuffGta: hey so what did i miss??? the usual spam of "crap"
HilaryDuffGta: hey so what did i miss??? the usual spam of "crap"
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FlakAttack: Jack ruined his chance to have civil debates with us here. Glad you banned him (again).
FlakAttack: Jack ruined his chance to have civil debates with us here. Glad you banned him (again).
Posted 07/03/09 at 04:04pm
Krono: Unexpected is probably the best word to describe it. Particularly as no decent reason is given.
Krono: Unexpected is probably the best word to describe it. Particularly as no decent reason is given.
Posted 07/03/09 at 03:59pm
GoodRobotUs: Just heard about that myself... kinda unexpected
GoodRobotUs: Just heard about that myself... kinda unexpected
Posted 07/03/09 at 03:58pm
Krono: Huh, apparently Sarah Palin is resigning.
Krono: Huh, apparently Sarah Palin is resigning.
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Comments
I think the sort of people who buy games for their kids without even stopping to think about ratings and suitably are not going to listen to or even hear about the advice of a politician.
those people shouldn't have kids in the first place
Completely understandable, and fair. He's focusing on the parents, and the law only stipulates that the ESRB rating information be present somewhere in the store. All in all, this is fairly tame by the standards we are use to seeing. Frankly, I'd rather see more of this than...well, practically all the other knee-jerk nonsesne we have seen thus far.
Didn't I read this about three weeks ago? (Not the same politician of course.) It makes me curious why this kind of press release is brought up every time it's made.
---- There is a limit for both politicians against video games, and video games against politicians.
We should all listen to this guy, because we all know kids will become killers after playing violent video games. *eyeroll*
Eh, he doesn't even say that..
Besides the "sex scenes" bullsh#¤, all he really did say was "oh there's a law, sure, but parents; DO SOME PARENTING!"
Umm the sex scene part is right. They wont be as bad as what you find in a R movie, or an AO game, but there CAN be sex scenes in games.
But sex isn't bad. It's not evil. It's natural. So why are you all afraid over it.
Oh, you are just the most naive little boy in the world, aren't you? Everyone knows that female nipples emit a radio signal which makes men stupid and vulnerable to mind control from those Goddamn stinking communists. Seriously though, blood and guts are considered perfectly fine, but if a kid sees a booby, someone's gotta get lynched. F$#king awesome.
-GRIZZAM PRIME(c)is property of the U.S. Marine Corp. Wetworks Dept., and also The Incredible Hulk-GRIZZAM PRIME is not to be associated with GRIZZAM 512 or any other GRIZZAM entity under penalty of law, so sayith ZARATHOS.
He's still using the "harmful to minors" schtickt.
-GRIZZAM PRIME(c)is property of the U.S. Marine Corp. Wetworks Dept., and also The Incredible Hulk-GRIZZAM PRIME is not to be associated with GRIZZAM 512 or any other GRIZZAM entity under penalty of law, so sayith ZARATHOS.
Though a nice message about paying attention to raitings, The message got lost and destroyed when he went on about the potential harmful affects. Parents will probably pay attention tothat part instead of the first part.
While I commend anyone that reminds parents to pay attention to the ESRB, and not force it upon them by law, I have a comment on the "Washington State Law" that the guy brought up. It says:
Every video game retailer shall post signs providing information to consumers about the existence of a nationally recognized video game rating system, or notifying consumers that a rating system is available, to aid in the selection of a game if such a rating system is in existence."
The ESRB is privately run and funded. It is not "nationally recognized" or supported in any way by federal law or oversight. So, while I would like for every store to have the ratings posted, the State governement cannot enforce this in any way.
Actually the ESRP rating can be considered "Nationally recognized" because most retailers have signs posted about the ratings and as far as I can tell every piece of game software has a rating on the package, most often on both the front and back lower right corner of the box, and again on the disk/cart. itself.
Either way, i'd rather hear someone saying "There is a rating system, please LOOK at what your buying your kids before you buy it." then idiots like Thompson spouting nothing but inane nonsense and vitrolic stupidity.
Hunting the shadows of the troubled dreams.
Ah, but law is all about semantics. Both of us are technically right. You're right in that it is "recognized" by most people in the US. I'm right in that it isn't "recognized" (not officially) by the federal government. So, if anyone decided to challenge this law (I don't see why, it's a perfectly sensible regulation), then they would probably win.
Ahh there is the crux of the problem, Politicians these days don't want SENSIBLE, they want something that they can say "Look! I'm protecting you (whether or not you need or even want me to) from all those "Bad Things" out there that we don't want to understand so you don't have to consider or even THINK about what we are saying."
Hunting the shadows of the troubled dreams.
Yep... Up for re-election this year. Can you tell?
Ugh.
Mr. McKenna may I remind you that your state in which I reside includes the likes of Microsoft, Nintendo, and Valve along with many, many other video game companies in this state. Do us all a favor by shutting up and getting to real issues. This statement is nothing more than your way to get some free press, put your name in front of the public, and try to appeal to the "save the children" type voter.
-Loudspeaker
"Volume helps to get a point across but sharp teeth are better."