Video Game Decency Act: saving the children, or one-way ticket to tyranny?

[wraggster]

via joystiq

As Congressman Fred Upton's Video Game Decency Act continues to percolate through Congress, Upton (R-MI) is singing its praises to the press, telling his local paper, the Niles Daily Star, "This legislation will restore parents' trust in a system in which game makers had intentionally deceived the ratings board to deliver violent and pornographic material to our kids."

This whole foofaraw kicked off when Rockstar Games tucked away some sex-related gameplay into Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, and, while the content was only accessible by using hacking tools, it was there for the minigaming. When word got out, lawsuits flowed like coffee, and Rockstar rushed out a "clean" version in order to avoid the dreaded "Adults Only" rating. The Video Game Decency Act would make it a crime to hide such content from the ESRB, the independent ratings board created by the industry in 1994 to avoid federal regulation.

Seems pretty reasonable, right? Well, it is. Whether you believe all sexual content deserves an "AO" rating or not, developers who want a rating from the ESRB should fully disclose anything that might affect that rating. But if the bill passes, the government will finally have its paws in the game rating pie, in a very official (and probably irreversible) way -- exactly what the ESRB was founded to prevent. Fine by you? Or is this the next step on a slippery slope of governmental control that will end with a dystopian, 1984-style wasteland?

[kiariki]

Wait... Game makers don't "intentionally" hide anything... And Rockstar, as much as I hate to defend them, did not mean for that sex game to come out. It wasn't supposed to even be known about. That happened because of hackers who wanted to reverse engineer the game and found out that a certain boolean would trigger said sex game...

Plus... Like Maddox said:

M = 17+
AO= 18+

O_o

[born2kill]

just another waste of time and money. firstly, gta was never meant for kids in the first place, so the hidden sex (if you can call it that) makes no difference. secondly, the gov. has no business regulating media of any kind (including clintons highly unconstintutional telecom. act of 96'). and last, the ESRB should just change the "rated M" to be for 18+ and tell these people to screw off.

[Veskgar]

Just another assault on our freedoms disguised as "the common good" or in this case "decency".

A lot of this is getting out of hand and we as supposedly FREE citizens need to rise up and stand up for our rights and freedoms.

Freedom is like a piece of wood being widdled away slowly by a carving knife. Each sliver of wood carved off is another bill trying to pass that regulates or bans this or that.

You can only widdle away at something for so long before there is nothing left. Let this be a forewarning to all governments that we will not stand for this.

[XDelusion]

So he lets his young children play Grand Theft Auto...

[h4s30]

i think we need to censor our government from "indecencies" like congressman upton you know why he's a congressman because he tell's people what they want to hear do you want to be told you're the problem for school shootings that your inability to parent is the reason why your 17 yr old pot smoking child is in jail for killing an innocent woman of course not people don't like the truth and who is this man who claims we need "decency" this man is probably an alcoholic that frequently has affairs with many different women behind his wife's back if anything needs to be "decent" it needs to be parents and you know no person just goes oh hey let me go kill a police officer to get 100 pts. but you know its been premeditated everytime you send little johnny to his room for back talking where he has his TV and his ps2 playing that same hot coffee minigame and killing police men for 100 pts. you know what little johnny is thinking? "oh if I can get away back talking my parents what else can I do?" its buliding blocks basically what I'm saying is its not the entirely the media's fault but we are pointing fingers at them because we don't want to take any responsiblity because we in fact don't like the truth that we are also responsible and people like congressman upton capitalize on this and live comfortable lifestyles off of our tax dollars and I dare you argue with me on this because i got canfull of "truth" with your name on it

[RV2006]

The funny thing is, is that while this whole issue over videogame censorship is going on, children are watching some of the most gruesome things on television and the parents are too wrapped up in blaming other things to realise that it is themselves at lost.
I mean why was there no problems with this in the last generation?
Because parents were more aware of their children's environment and they followed age restrictions (I mean who would be stupid enough to buy Grand Theft Auto for a 10 year old?)
Maybe parents are not taking the ratings on videogames seriously enough, and then blaming them for the consequences.

[XDelusion]

Yes! If anything, our "adults" are telling us it is ok to go kill a bunch of people we don't even know, for reasons we don't even understand. And they teach us that it is bad to question your own government or media, that since you live in such and such a country that you should be obediant without question.

Well, that's what got the natives enslaved and killed by so called Christians (to whom God was Love). :/

[mastersho]

It makes my feel shame to be from the same state as THIS loser! If people dont want their kids exposed to blood and gore that you dont go out and buy the the damn game! It should be as simple as that!!!

[woods05]

i think we need to censor our government from "indecencies" like congressman upton you know why he's a congressman because he tell's people what they want to hear do you want to be told you're the problem for school shootings that your inability to parent is the reason why your 17 yr old pot smoking child is in jail for killing an innocent woman of course not people don't like the truth and who is this man who claims we need "decency" this man is probably an alcoholic that frequently has affairs with many different women behind his wife's back if anything needs to be "decent" it needs to be parents and you know no person just goes oh hey let me go kill a police officer to get 100 pts. but you know its been premeditated everytime you send little johnny to his room for back talking where he has his TV and his ps2 playing that same hot coffee minigame and killing police men for 100 pts. you know what little johnny is thinking? "oh if I can get away back talking my parents what else can I do?" its buliding blocks basically what I'm saying is its not the entirely the media's fault but we are pointing fingers at them because we don't want to take any responsiblity because we in fact don't like the truth that we are also responsible and people like congressman upton capitalize on this and live comfortable lifestyles off of our tax dollars and I dare you argue with me on this because i got canfull of "truth" with your name on it

I'll will take your challenge. I noticed a leak in your canfull of truth. First of all, how can you make such accusations on Congressman Frederick Stephen "Fred" Upton. Did you actually hear him say anything about a 17 year old pot smoker that is in jail for killing an inoccent woman, or whatever it was that you said. If you actually did hear him say that than you win. Second of all, how can you say he is an alcoholic. Do you actually know this for a fact or are you just saying that to make your case look better. Is he actually having an affair with his wife? Hmmmmm? You can't base your aurguement on the word "probably". Anyways that stuff is besides the point. I don't know why you said them. Maybe you know more than the rest of us.
You do have a point where you say that parents need to take charge of their children. Little Johnny's parents need to take a lot more responsibility with their child. They should understand recommended games based on ratings. A young child doesn't need to be playing a "M" rated game (not even "T" depending on the age and maturity of the child) If one is not "mature" enough one shouldn't be playing a "Mature" game. Unfortunately, there are a number of parents that are not responsible enough to take proper care of their children.
Let's say that Little Johnny is mature enough for a "Mature" rated game. While playing whichever "Mature" rated game is chosen, he understands that there is a difference between life and a video game. He understands that he cannot crash head on with another car and then continue on as if nothing happened. He understands he can't shoot someone in the head in real life without consquence. A lot of people are like this. They understand the line between life and games. Some people don't, and they are not mature enough.
Little Johnny is mature enough for a "Mature" game but not an "Adult's Only" game in a "Mature" disguise. This act is to filter out the "indecencies" that shouldn't be in a "Mature" game.

I personally think that Congressman Upton should take it up another notch. Instead of making it a crime to hide material from the ESRB, it should be that the ESRB should actually play the games. They should reverse engineer the games and find and stop the minigames before the hackers do.

If you have something to say to Congressman Upton you should talk to him and not just a message board.

If it were you, how would you restrict video game content. You can't just leave it up to the parents to decide what game their kids play.

Of course, the "Hot Coffee" minigame wasn't intended to be in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. Why would a company actually make it possible for it to occur. If it wasn't intended to be in the game, then why was it. A good company is not going to make an accident like that.

"Mature" rated games should have violence, blood, gore, killings, suffering, gnashing of teeth, backbitting, lakes of fire and brimstone. They should not have "Hot Coffee" minigames.

Please don't flame me, but I guess that is like trying to stop the inevitable.
Can I have a free refill of that cup full of truth?