"Advertises that a good or service will not be sold to a certain age group when it is."
That single phrase is the essence of the much-talked about Jack Thompson video game legislation currently under consideration in Utah.
Thompson has forwarded GamePolitics a draft of the measure, dated January 27th. As previously reported, Rep. Mike Morley (R) will sponsor the bill in the legislature (although, based on recent local news reports, Morley doesn't sound especially enthusiastic about the prospect).
Thompson's proposal seeks to amend Utah's existing Truth in Advertising law. If it is successful, game retailers who advertise that they don't sell M-rated games to underage buyers would be at risk if they did.
Although Thompson often complains that online retailers don't properly age-gate video game buyers, the current language of the proposal does not address Internet sales.
Document Dump: Grab a copy of the draft legislation here.
Comments
Re: Sneak a Peek at Jack Thompson's Utah Game Legislation
It's an insignificant addition to the current laws, and is made redundant by all stores which make promises by another insignificant addition to their words.
Current promise: "We do not sell M rated games to underage kids."
New promise which makes the law mean diddly-squat: "We TRY to ensure that M rated games are not purchased by underage kids"
With this new promise, the store doesn't lose any of the good intentions toward carding people, but gives them an escape clause.
"Well shucks, we TRY our darndest, but sometimes a kid with a fake ID, or a kid who just looks older than his age slips through. We do our best for you guys, but nobody's perfect."
Have they broken their promise? No. They tried their best, and that is all the promise to do. They never promised to succeed 100%, only to make an effort to do so.
Re: Sneak a Peek at Jack Thompson's Utah Game Legislation
I'm amazed Jack has time for all this. He is a busy man.
Isn't Jack supposed to be leading a shareholder revolt against Take Two? Isn't he busy destroying the Florida Bar? Shutting down Kotaku? Jailing Rumpole (sp?)? Dismantling JAABlog? Destroying Gamepolitics? Filing a RICO suit against the ESA? Suing EZK? Writing for Human Events (been over a month)? Disbarring Norm Kent? Getting Dava Tunis removed from the bench?
Re: Sneak a Peek at Jack Thompson's Utah Game Legislation
Is he still penning articles for Human Events? Cuz the last time I saw the site, there were a whole manner of articles, but none with his name on it. I tried looking through the archives, but it only showed the newest article. Anyone got the 411 on his situation regarding Human Events?
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Game on, brothers and sisters.
Re: Sneak a Peek at Jack Thompson's Utah Game Legislation
They are all in a conspiracy together to promote selling violent video games to children.
Re: Sneak a Peek at Jack Thompson's Utah Game Legislation
I wouldn't be surprised if Jack Thompson started his own ministry ala Fred Phelp's Westboro Baptist Church.
What is a game?(throws wine glass on the floor and it breaks to pieces) A miserable little pile of secrets.
Re: Sneak a Peek at Jack Thompson's Utah Game Legislation
Well, he believes "the videogame industry" is one large single entity. Damn, I think if he succed in suing EZK, is like give to the "entity" a powerful blow.
The cynical side of videogames (spanish only): http://thelostlevel.blogspot.com/ My DeviantArt Page (aka DeviantCensorship): http://www.darkknightstrikes.deviantart.com/
Re: Sneak a Peek at Jack Thompson's Utah Game Legislation
I remember reading a report that Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff felt uncomfortable making a public comment about this bill because they kept on changing the language of it and he felt he was not getting a final copy. Is the PDF that was linked here the final copy?
Re: Sneak a Peek at Jack Thompson's Utah Game Legislation
I think it's still a draft.
----------------------------------------------------
Debates are like merry go rounds. Two people take their positions then they go through the same points over and over and over again. Then when it's over they have the same positions they started in.
Re: Sneak a Peek at Jack Thompson's Utah Game Legislation
Re: Sneak a Peek at Jack Thompson's Utah Game Legislation
----
There is a limit for both politicians against video games, and video games against politicians.
Re: Sneak a Peek at Jack Thompson's Utah Game Legislation
Hell, no.
The cynical side of videogames (spanish only): http://thelostlevel.blogspot.com/ My DeviantArt Page (aka DeviantCensorship): http://www.darkknightstrikes.deviantart.com/
Re: Sneak a Peek at Jack Thompson's Utah Game Legislation
These lame attempts by Thompson sort of remind me of a Family Guy episode.
-----
Peter: “First, I will return Joe’s pool.”
Joe: “Oh, you got that right!”
Peter: “But in exchange, I demand access to it on alternate weekends.”
Joe: “No.”
Peter: “I also demand to remain my own independent nation.”
Adam West: “Absolutely not.”
Peter: “Well, then how about you just give me your pen?”
Adam West: “You mean this cheap little pen we have millions of back at the office?”
Peter: “Yeah.”
Adam West: “No.”
Peter: “Aww man, so after all of this I end up with nothing?
-----
He’s really getting desperate to win at least once after all this time…
Re: Sneak a Peek at Jack Thompson's Utah Game Legislation
My god Jack... bulletproof my ass....this legislation is an utter piece of shit. I mean I have terrible bills pass, but this is ridiculously paper thin :) Go back to law-school, you may need it!
Re: Sneak a Peek at Jack Thompson's Utah Game Legislation
Is it just me, or is JT aiming lower? First he's trying to take down shock jocks, senators, and corporations...
and now... this? Oh well... with his track record, he needs a victory... no matter how small and insignificant.
Re: Sneak a Peek at Jack Thompson's Utah Game Legislation
It's somewhat of a pyrrhic victory at this stage though.
Re: Sneak a Peek at Jack Thompson's Utah Game Legislation
yeah, like i said in another topic, the whole, build up with small victories tactic is kind of pointless now that he's disbarred.
Re: Sneak a Peek at Jack Thompson's Utah Game Legislation
Theres a good reason for him not going for internet sales; despite all his bluster, he knows that the FTC and other bodies acknowledge that credit cards are a suitable means of testing for age and it would be rejected out of hand.
Is it me or does this whole bill look like weak as hell? All the retailers have to do is revoke the assurances of age testing and carry on as normal. As long as they don't advertise the fact that they challenge people under 17 then they could keep doing so. Effectively all that this would do is remove the ability for walmart and others to claim that they do such things 100% of the time.
Actually, if they advertised that "from time to time we will challenge you for proof of age" then that too would mean the law is unenforcable as you haven't claimed to do it all the time. The more I think about it, the more laughable this law actually is.
Re: Sneak a Peek at Jack Thompson's Utah Game Legislation
Another bill meant to limit access to forms of entertainment, but written in a backwards manner which actually creates an unintended effect, or sometimes the OPPOSITE of what the bill intended to do...this sounds a lot like one section of the 1996 Telecom Act.
GameSnooper
Re: Sneak a Peek at Jack Thompson's Utah Game Legislation
This law would only affect Walmart, Bestbuy, EBGames ect... IT wouldnt' effect the privately owned individual game trade/sell stores that are usually the ones that sell without caring about age.
So once again this is a waste of time aimed at the wrong group of people.
But it looks pretty sound, and I dont see anything in the constitution about preventing "False Advertisement"
Re: Sneak a Peek at Jack Thompson's Utah Game Legislation
Lol that was what I was thinking. All you have to do is not gurantee. You can say you try, or that you have the highest success rate. But as long as you don't promess, then you aren't giving out false advertising.
Foaming at the mouth
Re: Sneak a Peek at Jack Thompson's Utah Game Legislation
Heh, all he wants with this latest piece of toilet paper is for the floodgates to open. And you know he'll lead the charge, but the retaielrs won't be sued, oh no, he'll go for Take Two as he always does, even though as soon as the truck leaves the distribution plant their part is over.
Re: Sneak a Peek at Jack Thompson's Utah Game Legislation
Yup, but he doesn't understand that, because his logic is flawed.
Okay, the image kinda proves the point...
Nido Web Flash Tutorials AS2 and AS3 Tutorials for anyone interested.
How to set Xbox 360 Parental Controls
How to set Xbox 360 Parental Controls