New bill proposes tobacco-style warning labels for games

[Sigz]

Two congressmen have introduced a bill that would require almost all video games to feature a warning label concerning exposure to violent games, similar to the health warnings on tobacco products.

 Called the Violence in Video Games Labeling Act (H.R. 4204, PDF link), the bipartisan bill seeks to label games in the U.S. with a message that reads "WARNING: Exposure to violent video games has been linked to aggressive behavior" on their packaging (or in another clear and conspicuous location, if distributed digitally).

 "Just as we warn smokers of the health consequences of tobacco, we should warn parents — and children — about the growing scientific evidence demonstrating a relationship between violent video games and violent behavior," said Virginia Representative and the bill's co-sponsor Frank Wolf, according to The Hill.

 California Representative Joe Baca, who also co-sponsored the bill, added, "The video game industry has a responsibility to parents, families and to consumers — to inform them of the potentially damaging content that is often found in their products. They have repeatedly failed to live up to this responsibility."

 Many video games are already labeled with ratings and content descriptors from the Entertainment Software Rating Board. If passed, the Video Games Labeling Act would empower the Consumer Product Safety Commission to label all games rated by the ESRB, with the exception of those with "Early Childhood" ratings, with the warning.

 Several recent attempts to penalize violent video games have failed, such as the 2005 California law that sought to ban the sale of such games to minors without their parents' approval. The Supreme Court eventually overturned the law, and ruled that video games quality for First Amendment protections, just like books and other media.

 And earlier this year, a proposed Oklahoma bill looked to impose an extra 1 percent tax on all games rated T (for Teens) or higher, which would fund anti-bullying and outdoor education programs for children -- New Mexico had a similar bill in 2008, which failed to clear the state legislature.

 The Oklahoma proposal was eventually struck down in a 5-6 vote, but not before the Entertainment Software Association, the game industry trade group that typically fights laws like California's violent video game law in court, condemned the bill as "patently unconstitutional."

I can understand tobacco warnings - there's an understood mechanism behind the increased cancer risk. However, the "growing scientific evidence" for video games causing violence is still extremely shoddy, both in establishing a correlation between video games and 'violent tendancies' and even moreso is establishing causation.

Moreover, the fact that they want this warning on every game that is rated over EC, regardless of whether it has any violence even in it. I mean, Tetris would get stamped with this ffs.

[Adami]

"Warning: This game will make you a terrorist"

[Ben_Jamin]

 California Representative Joe Baca, who also co-sponsored the bill, added, "The video game industry has a responsibility to parents, families and to consumers — to inform them of the potentially damaging content that is often found in their products. They have repeatedly failed to live up to this responsibility."

Wait. What happened to the Parents being responsible for what their kids can and can't watch. The Video Game Industry has no responsibility whatsoever except to deliver high quality games to its consumers. I swear man, Parents aren't responsible anymore which is one reason why they depend on the Gov't to do the parenting for them, like they do with schools. 

[lonestar]

I haven't played a video game in ten years, and haven't been in a fight in those same ten.  Coincidence? I think not.

[Ryzee]

Number of people who I've decapitated with a warhammer in Skyrim:  264

Number of people who I've decapitated with a warhammer in real life:  3, with a 4th pending

[Dr. DTVT]

Things I've done in video games that I haven't done in real life:
Killed other humans with swords
Killed other humans with fireball spells
Killed other humans with firearms of all kinds
Killed other humans by placing an activated grenade in their pocket
Killed other humans with cars
Had sex with prostitutes
Engaged in reckless driving habits
Stole a ton of money
Took drugs
Lead an army to victory

Things I've done in video games that I've also done in real life:
Caused bodily harm with an explosion (that person was me, and it was an accident)

[Ryzee]

 

Yeah I was just playing, I haven't decapitated anybody in real life......with a warhammer.


I kid!



Things I've done in a video game that I've done in real life:  play an ocarina

[Dr. DTVT]

Watch out!  Wielding a sword and hording triangles is only a step away for you.

[XJDenton]

 How about they just enforce the existing rating system?

[orcus116]

Is there any sort of policy where you have to knowledgeably defend any bill you propose in front of a panel of experts, much like with a dissertation? Because if not we sure as hell need one.

How about they just enforce the existing rating system?

Because that would require minimal effort.

[ResultsMayVary]

This is laughable and I hardly see it's necessity. I think the ESRB ratings for the games are a good status quo for the gaming industry right now. Everyone knows what a game is rated and thus what the content of the games are likely to be, especially with the ESRB ratings containing some explanation for why a game is rated a certain way right on the box (Rating 'M' for violence, drug use, etc).

[chknptpie]

Yeah I was just playing, I haven't decapitated anybody in real life......with a warhammer.


I kid!



Things I've done in a video game that I've done in real life:  play an ocarina

I too have played an ocarina... we are doomed!

[snapple]

Video games are a perfect stress relief. Especially violent ones.

fuck, they're already labeled. This shit is stupid as hell. well, i guess i'm 22 in an hour anyway, so it's not like it affects me.

[Super Dude]

Y'know Washington, seriously, it's hard to keep defending you assholes when you keep stabbing me in the back...

[antigoon]

Washington doesn't deserve defending.

[El Barto]

I can understand tobacco warnings - there's an understood mechanism behind the increased cancer risk. However, the "growing scientific evidence" for video games causing violence is still extremely shoddy, both in establishing a correlation between video games and 'violent tendancies' and even moreso is establishing causation.

The inability to comprehend simple logic is almost as confounding to me as the ability of simpletons to get themselves elected  to positions where they can fuck with the rest of us (who actually can comprehend such matters). 

[Scheavo]

I can understand tobacco warnings - there's an understood mechanism behind the increased cancer risk. However, the "growing scientific evidence" for video games causing violence is still extremely shoddy, both in establishing a correlation between video games and 'violent tendancies' and even moreso is establishing causation.

The inability to comprehend simple logic is almost as confounding to me as the ability of simpletons to get themselves elected  to positions where they can fuck with the rest of us (who actually can comprehend such matters).

I dunno, I think the electorate describes pretty well why such simpletons get into office.

What amazes me is... do these people not have kids who play violent video games (or, not know that their kids do)? Or know kids who play violent video games?