Senate version of game ratings act introduced

[wraggster]

Via Gamestop

Last month, Rep. Cliff Sterns (R-FL) introduced the Truth in Video Game Rating Act in the US House of Representatives. Yesterday, Senator Sam Brownback (R-KS) introduced its counterpart in the Senate. While the text of the bill has yet to be released by the Government Printing Office, Brownback's announcement about the introduction suggests it is functionally similar to Stearns' own legislation.

In a statement, Brownback said the Entertainment Software Ratings Board needed improvement, in part because they don't even play the games they rate. He said his bill would "direct the Federal Trade Commission to require that reviewers consider the full content of a video game before issuing a rating."

Currently, the ESRB rates games based on a video tape of each game's most objectionable content, as determined and compiled by the publisher submitting it for review.

"For video game ratings to be meaningful and worthy of a parent's trust, the game ratings must be more objective and accurate," Brownback said in a statement.

Brownback's bill would also prohibit publishers from withholding or hiding the content of a game to the ratings board and charge the FTC with defining parameters for describing game content and what constitute a mischaracterization of it.

The bill would require the US General Accounting Office to study the efficacy of the ESRB, as well as possible alternative systems, including a universal ratings system that would also cover movies and TV.

Entertainment Software Association president Douglas Lowenstein went on the record about Stearns' bill last month, saying it wouldn't accomplish its goal. He said it would make hardcore gaming skills a prerequisite for raters, and that those people would not be representative of average American parents.

[F9zDark]

The first step towards government control of gaming...

This is just great ****ing news. Gurantee, next year, GTA will be given a rating that wont allow its sale in game stores, anyone wanna bet on that?

[S34MU5]

f9zdark yeh i agree
but eh i would be willing to rate those games if i have to play them???
hah

[John Vattic]

Who needs freedom when one can have safety?

I'm sure Ben Franklin would strongly disagree as he said, "Those who would sacrafice individual liberties for safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."

I vote for government employees to return to elementary civics and american history classes.

[NeoXCS]

I still don't get why everyone keeps thinking that these games lead to anything other than a good time. I mean the better games have gotten, during those years murder rates have dropped. So there is no reason to think these cause any problems. So there is no reason for the ESRB to be pulled into anything like this. They give them fair ratings, I've yet to see anything too out there for any certain rating.

[SSaxdude]

No wonder only 25% of American people approve of the job congress is doing.

[Qerppsmmnx]

They aren't controlling games, they're just putting labels on the game to give a more accurate rating for STUPID parents who buy their 7 year old Grand Theft Auto and get mad when they see hookers.

[hahahaha]

i see it both ways here. they're aren't explicitly controlling games, but they will definitely have much more power of stopping games like gta from being sold in stores. more power could mean more abuse. let's just hope they're fair with the ratings.

[F9zDark]

They aren't controlling games, they're just putting labels on the game to give a more accurate rating for STUPID parents who buy their 7 year old Grand Theft Auto and get mad when they see hookers.

Anytime the government removes control from a 3rd party and takes it for themselves is never a good idea.

I gurantee it, the next GTA game you will NOT see in game stores. As I said, this is just the first step towards the government's control of games.

Its pretty common for the US to do this; rather than not allow something outright, the government will put up an 'impassable' road block, that indirectly doesn't allow it.

[pibs]

plus we americans are either too fat or too lazy to get up and actually kill a person, yet alone get off the couch, geesh thats just too much work!

why don't people learn and just hire a hit man?