Children's Advocacy Group Common Sense Media has released a new survey of parents (conducted by Knowledge Networks) that shows 17 percent of five to eight-year-olds game every day, while 81 percent have played games during their lifetime. That number drops to 51 percent when parents of the entire group (from birth to eight-years-old) were asked the same question.

The survey found that around 74 percent of children's screen time is predominantly spent watching television, compared to 10 percent with video games and 13 percent using a home computer.

Hey GPers!  Up for some opinions on the recent Supreme Court decision that gave Leland Yee’s violent video game law the Kuribo Boot?

As you can probably guess even before you read the official statement from Common Sense Media, they are not pleased with the Supreme Court's ruling on Brown v. EMA today. The children’s advocacy group said in its reaction statement to the decision that they were disappointed and felt that parents had been let down by the court.

But the Supreme Court isn't congress or the president of the United States; in other words they should really only concern themselves with their area expertise - the law as it relates to our constitution. Nevertheless the group that is squarely against the videogame industry voiced its strong opinion that the court erred in its decision. Below is the full statement from Common Sense Media CEO James Steyer:

There was supposed to be a debate tonight between California State Senator Leland Yee and George Rose, the Executive VP and Chief Public Policy Officer for Activision Blizzard, but apparently the San Francisco mayoral candidate can't make it. He has been replaced by James Steyer, founder and CEO of Common Sense Media - according to Destructoid. I suppose if you are going to get someone that might fight hard against games other than Yee, then Steyer is a decent replacement. Still gamers would have enjoyed seeing Yee debate Rose.

Destructoid also reports that Grand Theft Childhood author Cheryl K. Olsen has taken an interest in the discussion. She will be in the audience, but will not be taking part in the discussion. The moderator would be smart to include her.. More details on the event here.

Update: id Software has filed an amicus brief (PDF) and the Salt Lake Tribune reports that Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff has joined  nine other states that are asking the Supreme Court to strike down the California law. Thanks to all our Shoutbox users (PHX Corp, BearDogg-X, etc.,) for their help today.

Original story: Those supporting the state of California’s attempt to legislate the sale of violent video games to minors got an early start and submitted their amicus briefs on July 19th. Perhaps a bit disconcerting for gamers, those briefs sat unopposed for nearly two months.

But hey, better late than never as today the video game industry saw a flurry of support from all over the country as various people and organizations rushed to meet today’s submission deadline. We’re still waiting for the ECA’s long expected amicus brief but in the meantime, let’s tally up the scores and see which side can brag the most support.

In an opinion piece by the LA Times blog, Alex Pham tries to determine if Common Sense Media is an advocacy group or a lobbyist firm.

Let us go down the rabbit hole:

"..But there's another aspect to the organization. Common Sense Media has been one of the most zealous voices when it comes to encouraging state legislation limiting the sale of ultra-violent games to minors. Its chief executive, James Steyer as penned numerous letters to state and federal officials, urging them to curb kids' access to 'ultra-graphic violence' depicted in games."

The rest of the article drills down on Common Sense Media's activities from 2005 onward. What is important to note is that the company has been straddling the fence between advocacy and lobbying for years.

A parents' group cites a recent Zogby poll to back up its claim that adults are firmly against the sale of ultra-violent video games to minors.

Common Sense Media, a nonprofit organization, said a poll of 2100 adults showed that 65 percent of parents are "concerned about the impact of ultra-violent video games on their kids" and 75 percent of parents have a negative view of what the games industry is doing to safeguard minors from violent games, according to an article in Gamasutra.

The group's conclusion is that 72 percent of parents support California's violent video game legislation, which is coming up for consideration in front of the U.S. Supreme Court.

According to Common Sense Media CEO James Steyer:

"What we've learned from this poll is that parents want to be the ones who decide which games their kids play, not the video game industry.

Hal Halpin, head of the Entertainment Consumer Association, said:

Just in time to disappoint legions of juvenile videogamers for the holidays, Common Sense Media has released a list of 10 games that should be avoided for younger players.

Actually we jest, because the list, entitled 10 Cool Games That Are Uncool for Kids, does a decent job of offering safe alternatives for each title it recommends that parents avoid. The full list, with substitutes in parenthesis, follows:

• Assassin’s Creed (Mirror’s Edge)
• Borderlands (Infamous)
• Brutal Legend (Ghostbusters)
• Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (Battlefield: Bad Company)
• Dead Space: Extraction (Deadly Creatures)
• Dragon Age: Origins (Braid)
• Grand Theft Auto IV: The Ballad of Gay Tony (Batman: Arkham Asylum)
• Demon’s Souls (Uncharted 2: Among Thieves)
• Left 4 Dead 2 (Overlord II)
• Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars (C.O.P.: The Recruit)

The mainstream is beginning to react to the news that GTA IV add-on The Lost and Damned features a moment of full frontal male nudity.

Watchdog group Common Sense Media has now weighed in on the controversy:

It is even more controversial than its predecessors because this game has full frontal male nudity. The game lets you lead a life of crime as part of a motorcycle gang with plenty of gang violence... relentless foul language, drugs and alcohol, and sexual references...

Families can talk about why Rockstar likes to push the envelope and garner controversy over its games? Why did they have to put full-frontal nudity in the game if it's not integral to the story? Do they correlate media outrage with extraordinary game sales? Do players expect Rockstar to stir up controversy with each of its titles, including the Manhunt and Bully series?...