SCOTUS Case Could Cause “Supreme Jeopardy” for Amusement Biz

October 20, 2010 -

The trade publication Vending Times has published an opinion piece about the upcoming Schwarzenegger vs. EMA Supreme Court case, saying that a win for the state of California could give politicians more power to eradicate the U.S. amusement industry.

The publication commended the Amusement and Music Operators Association (AMOA) for opposing the California law and signing on to an amicus brief (PDF) alongside the American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression (ABFFE), the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and the National Association of Recording Merchandisers (NARM), among others.

Vending Times outlined how the case could impact its readers:

The high court's ruling will establish a vital precedent that could apply, by implication and extension, to anything and everything from music and advertising to arcade operations. (Some lawmaker decides it's bad for kids? Some psychologist conducts a study that "proves" it's emotionally harmful to children? Fine, it's illegal -- period.)

So it is no exaggeration to say that for the amusement industry, this ruling will be the most important verdict ever issued by the U.S. Supreme Court.

The editorial even went so far as to label SCOTUS’ ruling “more important than copyright rulings or legislation,” as the Schwarzenegger case deals with the government controlling content, and, if “you don't have content, then there is no copyright to dispute.”

The piece ends by asking “Will the U.S. Supreme Court give politicians even more power to kill this industry?”


Comments

Re: SCOTUS Case Could Cause “Supreme Jeopardy” for ...

The Supreme Court are all pretty old and might not know anything about games. Remember how comics were treated in the 50s by the Senate? They didn't see them as free speech and had them censored country wide.

Re: SCOTUS Case Could Cause “Supreme Jeopardy” for ...

But thier clerk's May know about videogames very well to tell them that they are free speech(heck Scalia knows that they are free speech)

Watching JT on GP is just like watching an episode of Jerry springer only as funny as the fights

America has just became its own version of the Jerry Springer Show after a bizarre moment in Florida involving a carnival worker.

Re: SCOTUS Case Could Cause “Supreme Jeopardy” for ...

You all realize here that if the supreme court Allows CA to enforse it's law, They're playing into Al-qauda and the Taliban's Hand(remember the article about the Taliban burning down Game stores, or even the Islamic republic of afganistan trying to outlaw Videogames in general(With the possibility of the us doing it as part of the new christian Religous right))

Watching JT on GP is just like watching an episode of Jerry springer only as funny as the fights

America has just became its own version of the Jerry Springer Show after a bizarre moment in Florida involving a carnival worker.

Re: SCOTUS Case Could Cause “Supreme Jeopardy” for ...

I can see the right coming up with laws that will have a total ban on video games in the name of family values, common decency and saying they are non Christian. Then the burnings will happen.

 

Re: SCOTUS Case Could Cause “Supreme Jeopardy” for ...

As much as I would like to bash the right, its mostly been the left that has been lookig to legislate game content.

Re: SCOTUS Case Could Cause “Supreme Jeopardy” for ...

Yeah, it's all the Conservatives, right?  That's why Yee, a far-left Liberal Democrat, authored the law in question, right?  And why it passed in California, a very liberal state, right?

Use your head, Cheater.  Liberals hate video games just as much as conservatives, if not moreso.

---

With the first link, the chain is forged.

--- With the first link, the chain is forged.

Re: SCOTUS Case Could Cause “Supreme Jeopardy” for ...

Enough already The Industy will most likely win here

I dont want anyone commiting Suicide over This war. Period

I'm sorry Cheater, I went too far that time

Watching JT on GP is just like watching an episode of Jerry springer only as funny as the fights

America has just became its own version of the Jerry Springer Show after a bizarre moment in Florida involving a carnival worker.

Re: SCOTUS Case Could Cause “Supreme Jeopardy” for ...

When you said that I thought of something like a re education camp to make gamers not like video games any more haha. :P 

Re: SCOTUS Case Could Cause “Supreme Jeopardy” for ...

I still believe the videogame industry Will win the supreme court case anyway, because they took it up to put this hot button issue to rest(most likely in our favor) like a commenter on kotaku said

as godot said

Question for Michael Gallagher:

Why do you think the Supreme Court has actually bothered to hear this case?

Personally, I suspect that they've always agreed with lower court decisions against such laws and now hope that, by adding their ruling to all of theirs, the matter will finally be put to rest. After all, this hardly seems like the sort of grey issue that the highest court in the land is usually seen wrestling with


Next time I'll let cheater handle the disaster senarios

in addition, I "WILL NOT" fall into a Glenn Beck style spiel

Watching JT on GP is just like watching an episode of Jerry springer only as funny as the fights

America has just became its own version of the Jerry Springer Show after a bizarre moment in Florida involving a carnival worker.

Re: SCOTUS Case Could Cause “Supreme Jeopardy” for ...

I know for sure that politicians would LOVE to be able to pass a law outlawing violent games and making them illegal to possess to anyone of any age. They would have games classified like drugs.

Re: SCOTUS Case Could Cause “Supreme Jeopardy” for ...

“Will the U.S. Supreme Court give politicians even more power to kill this industry?”

Here is hoping they won't. I am worried as this decision will have ripples around the world when it comes to media. As I live in Canada, my country will be one of the first...

Re: SCOTUS Case Could Cause “Supreme Jeopardy” for ...

This will affect Canada/Mexico as well since they get the same games the US do. So if games are censored for content I doubt there will be an uncensored canadan version made.

 
Forgot your password?
Username :
Password :

Shout box

You're not permitted to post shouts.
TechnogeekIf the developer were male there wouldn't have been a "conversation" in the first place.10/19/2014 - 2:27am
Montetrolls 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
MontePapa: 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 MidnightMonte: 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
AvalongodI 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
WonderkarpZippy : Havent tried the PS4 controller. might later.10/18/2014 - 2:37pm
MonteSeirously, 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
MonteWe 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
ZippyDSMleeWonderkarp: You might be able to if you had a PS4 controller.10/18/2014 - 1:00pm
MaskedPixelantehttp://store.steampowered.com/app/327940/ Night Dive starts charging for freeware.10/18/2014 - 12:21pm
Matthew Wilsonthe 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
MechaTama31So, only speak out on a scandal that hasn't attracted trolls? I wouldn't hold my breath...10/18/2014 - 10:49am
MonteI 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
quiknkoldand we dont have a Dovakin to call a cease fire10/17/2014 - 7:37pm
quiknkoldThe 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
quiknkoldI 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 Wilsonwhile he focused on gg, he did call out both sides crap.10/17/2014 - 7:18pm
Papa MidnightThat was a damn good read offered by Jeff Gertsmann.10/17/2014 - 7:17pm
Matthew Wilsonhttp://www.giantbomb.com/articles/letter-from-the-editor-10-17-2014/1100-5049/ deferentially a nice write up.10/17/2014 - 6:44pm
 

Be Heard - Contact Your Politician