California Violent Game Bill Becomes Law

After a long process of campaigning, opposition, and legislative approval, a California bill which bans the sale of violent videogames to minors has been signed into law. On Friday, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger approved the bill, which levies fines of up to $1000 for violations, and requires that mature games be clearly labeled as such.

"Today I signed legislation to ensure parent involvement in determining which video games are appropriate for their children," said Governor Schwarzenegger. "The bill I signed will require that violent video games be clearly labeled and not be sold to children under 18 years old. Many of these games are made for adults and choosing games that are appropriate for kids should be a decision made by their parents."

Assembly Bill 1179 was written and championed by Assemblyman Leland Yee, who has offered similar bills for several years now. Yee has maintained his interest is not in censoring or limiting the game industry, but in keeping minors from playing mature-themed games without parental consent.

Yee believes the interactive nature of videogames creates a unique danger. "Unlike movies where you passively watch violence, in a video game, you are the active participant and making decisions on who to stab, maim, burn or kill," he said. "As a result, these games serve as learning tools that have a dramatic impact on our children."

Opponents of the legislation, including the Interactive Entertainment Merchants Association (IEMA), an industry interest group, argue that the current ESRB rating system already identifies mature content in games and prevents sale of such games to minors. Opponents also maintain legislation like AB 1179 introduces regulates game media in ways that books, movies, and music are not, and see such laws as a challenge to First Amendment rights.

California is not only the nation's most populous state, but the primary home of the $31 billion videogame industry. AB 1179 will officially become law on January 1, 2006.

I'm Glad I Live in New York.
(Too Bad I only have 8 more days untill its llegal for me to buy San Andreas )

What part of NY do you live in Mazz , and I hate video game laws , they get me mad.

By the time Canada gets anything like this I'll be 18, so that's cool.

In Russia, I bought San Andreas...they don't care what age u r(I'm 13), its gay that u have to be 18 to buy games with violence.

I VANT TO TEEERRMINATE VIOLENT VIDEO GAMES!

In Russia, I bought San Andreas...they don't care what age u r(I'm 13), its gay that u have to be 18 to buy games with violence.

In russia, video game buys you!

and my cousin actually payed a homeless guy to get one for him

Here is a great idea, instead of blaming bad parenting let's blame it on violent video games! Yay!

Anyone who is stupid enough to go around shooting people are really screwed up in the head.

How many people in North America actually kill people because of video games anyway?

(I didn't want to say the whole world because we all know that most gamers in Asia are crazy mother fuckers).

since this law comes from a government run by the terminator himself, arnold schwanzenegger, it is not valid at all. thats the second law that he has become a hypocrite about. As you all may remember, he banned the use of steroids while he use to use them himself, and now he makes violent games for kids while 90% of his movies are just pointless violence.

yeah come across this a lot at work... so its a law now?? oh well im 18+ so it doesnt matter to me

"Unlike movies where you passively watch violence, in a video game, you are the active participant and making decisions on who to stab, maim, burn or kill," he said. "As a result, these games serve as learning tools that have a dramatic impact on our children."
That is such bullshit. F*cking Ahnuld.

it's good that they doing this. i think its clear video games and television have a impact on society and is a part of the reason why we have more crimes these age than before.
Then again i'm over 18 so it doesn't affect me, but still i dont want to see my little 10 year old brother with that stuff

I just noticed all the people who don't agree with the law. It makes sense, making the age 18 might be pushing it. But at least 14-16 is a good idea. Ten year-olds playing the game ain't great. If the parents can recognize that their kids are mature enough they can buy them the game. Just like movies. I'm sure there was a point when people thought banning certain ages from watching movies was riduculous. But it isn't anymore.

I didn't read anything about the law, but my law on this would be...

No one under 15 can buy the game without a parent/guardian present... a parent, not some homeless person you've paid $10 to get it for you.

at least they're not trying to ban video games in general. either way, it's usually the ignorant parents who buy the M rated games to their under-17 kids then they blame it on the games when they were too lazy to look at the rating on the cover

it's good that they doing this. i think its clear video games and television have a impact on society and is a part of the reason why we have more crimes these age than before.
Then again i'm over 18 so it doesn't affect me, but still i dont want to see my little 10 year old brother with that stuff

True, but the people who commit crimes as a result of playing violent video games are a very small minority - laws like these are enforced as though video games are driving thousands to commit murder or instigate violence.

I understand the aims of these laws, probably moreso than I did when I was a kid and trying to get hold of games that were 15+ here in Australia, but at the same time it comes back to video games being a scapegoat and parents being let off the hook because they couldn't be bothered taking an interest in/monitoring their child's gaming habits.

Perhaps my point of view will change, if/when I become a parent myself, but it just seems like a law made to suit lazy or inattentive parents. It's hypocritical to blame the stores and the developers just because you can't be bothered keeping tabs on your child's hobbies.

That said, there are games that aren't appropriate for young children or most of those in their early teens, but there are already laws in place and the ratings system has been around for quite some time. I would have thought the current measures would be sufficient. If you don't pay attention to what your children/grandchildren/nieces and nephews are playing and what you're buying from them, any outrage you have when you're surprised about the content is somewhat hypocritical.

OK, so not all people commit crimes after playing video games, but A LOT do get more violent/aggressive after them.

I'm glad these laws have been implemented. It will force parents to actually do their job and see what games their children want.

since this law comes from a government run by the terminator himself, arnold schwanzenegger, it is not valid at all. thats the second law that he has become a hypocrite about. As you all may remember, he banned the use of steroids while he use to use them himself, and now he makes violent games for kids while 90% of his movies are just pointless violence.

I don't see how this makes him a hypocrite. He used steroids in the PAST. It's not like he's using them now. He saw their effects first hand and banned them for the better of others.


Besides, kids should move their fat asses outside instead of doing their best impersonation of a teenage asian kid.

u have 8 days till its illegal for u to buy it??

what the hell about asian... thats what wat we do we aint crazy.
unless u seen that jackie chan movie about the gamers reinacting stuff, now that is crazy

what the hell about asian... thats what wat we do we aint crazy.

lol, haven't you ever read about those crazy people whos marriages and stuff get torn apart by video games? People get beat up and killed over people taking other people's stuff from video games as well. China also opened the first video game addiction clinic, so I'm guessing that's an indication of what things are like there.

I'm not saying that every asian sits their ass on the computer all day long and plays video games, but some of the people over there in Asia, and even in North America are pretty crazy.

What we need is some serial killer who says they killed someone because of all the army commericals that are going around. Then maybe people will shut up about video games. I mean, with army commericals everywhere, and TV encouraging violence everywhere, how the hell do you blame it on videogames?

*Prepare for Riot defending army*

But seriously, those army commercials are everywhere. I mean every friggin commercial break. They drill those things on our head. I mean probably a shitload of children will think "killing is cool" by that even though those commercials don't show any graphic violence. They show like missiles firing on shit, and of course the army is trying to make us think "oh shit, I can blow up people in the army! that's awesome!"

Well, the Army isn't excatly promoting violence in that actual commerical. Obviously if you are smart enough you can put the two together but they aren't showing blood and gore.

True
I'm just saying if there was a some school shooting, and let's say the guy said "Oh, I read Hamlet, and I wanted everyone to die" or something. That seems too ridiculous, so I was thinking maybe army commercials. Then the judges wouldn't do anything about it. The lawyers would be confused about what to blame it on. I think doing something senesless like that would maybe stop all this stupid video game hating by the government. Didn't this whole thing get started because of Columbine?

yeah it's pretty dumb. at work, I usually let kids buy movies/games that otherwise would need a parent to buy. unless it's like a kid under 16 buying GTA or something. but usually games rated M for violence i usually let go