Selling a 'depraved' video game to a minor in New York could become a felony

[zekrahminator]

The New York State Senate has recently been working to make New York minor gamers suffer. Republican bill S.5888 aimed to start an "Advisory Council on Interactive Media and Youth Violence", which basically is a checks-and-balances system on the ESRB. It shot through the legal process with the speed and grace of a greased pig through a high school.

Said minors in New York have a new piece of legislation to worry about: Democrat-sponsored bill A08696. If it gets ratified within 120 days, then anyone who sells/rents "any game which contains 'depraved violence' or 'indecent images'." will have to deal with a class E felony charge.

To all you non-Americans out there: A felony charge is no small matter. It prevents an American from voting, owning a fire-arm, or getting a good job (would you hire someone who's been charged with a felony?).

This bill also has provisions for parental controls on consoles, the previously mentioned checks-and-balances system, and much more over-protective, semi-legal legislation. Most people would flag this bill as being unconstitutional. The law makers already thought of this, and found a crafty way to get around such a "minor inconvenience" as the Constitution of the United States.

if any portion of the proposed law is found to be unconstitutional, such a ruling would not invalidate the other sections.

Unless this gets taken to the Supreme Court, chances are minors in New York aren't going to get to play the next version of Grand Theft Auto.

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[anticlutch]

The Democrats who thought of this = fail. Anyone else who thinks this idea is good = fail. Parents should be deciding what their children play, not the government... and what good would this new law do? It'll just cause people to get really pissed and possibly cause more violence <_<

 

[Nemesis881]

Well, just another reason why I don't live in New York .

 

[wickerman]

Im kind of both sides of this one...
I do believe that the ESRB rating is there for a good reason and it should be enforced, nobody under the age required by the ESRB rating should be able to buy the game.

Not that I think "depraved violent" video games or ones that contain "indecent images" should be the end all of things. Its a fact that some people are predisposed to violent actions and a video game is hardly where it all begins. Not everyone who saw "Jackass the Movie" for instance went out and did a stupid stunt that got them killed (though many did) it sort of brings weight to my point that censoring certain things is not going to stop people from being violent or doing stupid things.

I think all they need to do is start enforcing the rules rather than making new and harsher punishments. Just the other day I saw a young kid at Target buying STALKER, the kid looked as if he was barely into his teens but yet the cashier took no notice of the "MATURE 17+" sticker with the giant "M" in the middle, which is part of the ESRB rating. I think instances like this are grounds for large fines for retailers or loss of employment for the cashier allowing the person to buy the item. A guy sells alcohol to a minor faces much worse, as does the store that employs him.

But the bottom line in my mind is still the parenting. If you dont want your kid playing a violent game, dont blame the company for making it or the cashier for selling it to your kid, blame yourself for being to stupid to realize the obvious. If you dont want your kid to buy the game, dont put his ass in the back seat of the suburban, dont drive him to the store, dont give him a $50 bill, and dont let him walk in and buy it by himself... Its costs a lot less and is much more effective if the parents take the step to censor their children from what THEY believe is wrong, rather than to censor the whole country who may not agree with your beliefs.

 

[KennyT772]

To put this into perspective.

By law:
It is worse to sell m rated video games to a minor than cigarettes.
It is worse to sell m rated video games to a minor than alcohol.
It is worse to sell m rated video games to a minor than deal weed.
It is worse to sell m rated video games to a minor than picking up a hooker.
It is worse to sell m rated video games to a minor than drive without a license.
It is worse to sell m rated video games to a minor than to just steal the game from the store.
It is worse to sell m rated video games to a minor than to cause a street fight.

Anyone see my point?

 

[scoutingwraith]

To put this into perspective.

By law:
It is worse to sell m rated video games to a minor than cigarettes.
It is worse to sell m rated video games to a minor than alcohol.
It is worse to sell m rated video games to a minor than deal weed.
It is worse to sell m rated video games to a minor than picking up a hooker.
It is worse to sell m rated video games to a minor than drive without a license.
It is worse to sell m rated video games to a minor than to just steal the game from the store.
It is worse to sell m rated video games to a minor than to cause a street fight.

Anyone see my point?

That is so true. And what bothers me is that they base that Video Games cause some psychological disorder in the kids. I mean seriously a game is not that bad considering that most movies that come out and we rent are from the sort of "The Ring", "Texas Chainsaw Massacre".

 

[b1lk1]

The only thing a Felony does is cause you not to be able to own a firearm. You can still vote. You can even get a good job as long as you don't repeat your mistakes. I know this since I have a felony drug record when I was young and dumb and it has not stopped me from doing anything. If you are honest to your employer and don't try to hide it and explain it that won't stop them from hiring you. Hell, I have even served on 3 juries after my felony conviction.

This is rather harsh treatment for what they are proposing, but this world needs to start cleaning up it's act and start holding kids/parents responsible for all this bullshit going on. Too many kids with no respect for anyone or anything out there causing problems. Time for all this political correctness and youth rights crap to be thrown in the trash and time for some reality and punishment.

 

[theonetruewill]

To put this into perspective.

By law:
It is worse to sell m rated video games to a minor than cigarettes.
It is worse to sell m rated video games to a minor than alcohol.
It is worse to sell m rated video games to a minor than deal weed.
It is worse to sell m rated video games to a minor than picking up a hooker.
It is worse to sell m rated video games to a minor than drive without a license.
It is worse to sell m rated video games to a minor than to just steal the game from the store.
It is worse to sell m rated video games to a minor than to cause a street fight.

Anyone see my point?

Ok...that was enlightening - I did not know that. Then the ruling is just plain stupid. What are they on

 

[KennyT772]

I was talking to a guy who works at a local ebgames. once he told me that i was almost outraged.

 

[a111087]

i don't think anyone of us should really worry unless you live in New York.
but yeah, this certainly a good reason for outrage.
soon jails will be full of people who were selling games and Gov. will release a real criminals so the game sellers could learn their "lesson"

 

[WarEagleAU]

I have several theories on this but you all have made admiral points and I agree with some of them.


Basically, games violent or not, do not cause people to commit atrocious and heinous crimes.

Parents need to do a better job of raising and teaching their kids. Its that simple. Im thankful that I had tough but gentle parents and I grew up to be a man capable of taking care of his family and teaching children, be it his, nephews and nieces, cousins, etc right from wrong.

 

[aximbigfan]

what a complete load of shit. how about the govenment control us a little less?
next thing you know, we will be told when to eat, sleep, work....


chris

 

[scoutingwraith]

i don't think anyone of us should really worry unless you live in New York.
but yeah, this certainly a good reason for outrage.
soon jails will be full of people who were selling games and Gov. will release a real criminals so the game sellers could learn their "lesson"

Yup that is bad news for me. . I am in New York and whats even worse is that i work in a game store.

Yeah i wouldn't be surprised if the government reaches that level of stupidity to release real criminals and put people who are selling games into jail instead of them.

 

[Dippyskoodlez]

Unless this gets taken to the Supreme Court, chances are minors in New York aren't going to get to play the next version of Grand Theft Auto.

Until the "bypass" is declared unconstitutional and then the ENTIRE bill is screwed.


But this only effects sales of who its going to.. not actually limiting what a game company can produce.

buying an M rated game under 18 is already a pain in the butt.

Glad I get to skip all this BS

 

[Benpi]

Until the "bypass" is declared unconstitutional and then the ENTIRE bill is screwed.


But this only effects sales of who its going to.. not actually limiting what a game company can produce.

buying an M rated game under 18 is already a pain in the butt.

Glad I get to skip all this BS

If you understood business and economics, you'd see that there wouldn't be as much incentive to make a video game if you'd only get half the sales due to some ridiculous law that the Dems made. Instead of making GTA, you'd make Fluffy Bunny Adventure Land.

 

[Dippyskoodlez]

Instead of making GTA, you'd make Fluffy Bunny Adventure Land.

And walmarts M rating policy hampered GTA sales?

I think not.

 

[Nemesis881]

The only thing a Felony does is cause you not to be able to own a firearm.

Thats the ONLY reason why their making it a felony. The whole concept is still straight up bull #@%$. I call tyranny on New York government .

 

[anticlutch]

Thats the ONLY reason why their making it a felony. The whole concept is still straight up bull #@%$. I call tyranny on New York government .

Oh come on... are they naive enough to think that a felony charge is going to stop a lunatic from getting a gun somewhere?

 

[zekrahminator]

I actually did a report on gun control laws a few weeks back...

Gun shows rarely bother to file through all the paper work. You got money, they got guns. If they're a few hundred dollars richer at the end of the day, then they're happy.