Sign the ECA's Petition to 'Protect Video Games Under the First Amendment'

[mindcycle]

On November 2, the State of California is taking the fight against the video game industry to the U.S. Supreme Court, despite being struck down at district court. With only a few short weeks separating that fateful day from now, the Entertainment Consumers Association (ECA) is reminding U.S. citizens to sign its petition, arguing that video games be protected under the First Amendment.

"For nearly two decades, elected officials have tried to regulate which video games you can buy, rent and play," a message on the ECA's petition page reads. "Every single time they've passed a law, the federal courts have struck it down as unconstitutional. But this may change this fall."

If passed, the law would allow the state to limit access to video games to minors based on its included content. The fear, according to the Entertainment Software Association (ESA), is that video game stores will stop selling certain titles all together as "they won't know what titles fall under a particular state's laws and which don't." This could have an adverse affect on game development, as designers would have to first consider what may or may not be considered questionable before they dream up the next big "Game of the Year."

If you're a U.S. citizen, sign the petition. You obviously love the industry enough to visit Shacknews and discuss the industry with your fellow game lovers. You obviously love it enough to read this post. Now it's time to prove it, by loving it enough to try to protect it.

Repost from Shacknews:
http://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/66044

Sign the petition here!
http://action.theeca.com/t/2858/tellafriend.jsp?tell_a_friend_KEY=2999

 

[Bateluer]

Signed in accordance with my anti-censorship policies.

 

[simonizor]

Signed!

I think that the whole argument against video games is just plain ignorant and stupid. People that think that video games need to be censored think that everyone else is too stupid to distinguish reality from fiction. If people have problem with a game's content, don't play it! It's not like they come into people's houses, tape their eyes open, glue a controller in their hand, and force them to play video games. It's not any different than a controversial movie. If you don't agree with what it has to say, don't engage yourself in it, and if you think that it's not appropriate for your children, don't allow them to engage in it either. It's not the fault of the people that create controversial works of art such as video games and movies that weren't intended for children in the first place are played/viewed by children; that's entirely the responsibility of the parents. If you're not responsible enough to limit things that you think are inappropriate to your children, then you're not responsible enough to have children in the first place!

 

[Nintendesert]

What's the point of signing this? It won't change anything or sway a court decision. If you don't like the laws that a state is trying to pass in regards to video games, you vote and vote the fuckers out.

That's the only petition that counts.

 

[mindcycle]

What's the point of signing this? It won't change anything or sway a court decision. If you don't like the laws that a state is trying to pass in regards to video games, you vote and vote the fuckers out.

That's the only petition that counts.

I wouldn't underestimate the influence a large petition could have in the grand scheme of things. The ECA has the ability to submit this petition for review to the people who will ultimately be making the final decision. If they are handed a petition with potentially several million signatures, they may possibly reconsider their stance on the subject if it's swaying toward regulation.

I agree with you that voting the people out who are trying to pass these laws is also a good way to deal with the issue, however, when you get rid of one of them two more pop up in their place. If a decision is made at the Supreme Court individual states have no choice but to follow suit.

 

[Dekasa]

Isn't the sale of mature music and movies already prohibited to minors? Regardless, I see no reason for there to be any difference between games, music, movies, or any other entertainment.

 

[Homerboy]

wait so this bill will stop the sales of rated M games to Minors? Like an R or X rating?
And the problem is?

 

[mindcycle]

wait so this bill will stop the sales of rated M games to Minors? Like an R or X rating?
And the problem is?

the Court is going to decide whether to agree with the lower federal courts or not. Agreeing would mean that they believe that video games are, and should continue to be, First Amendment protected speech; just like books, movies and music. The court disagreeing would mean that they think video games should be treated differently. This could lead to new bills and laws curtailing video game access in states across the country.

Basically, by signing the petition you are telling the Supreme Court you want video games to continue being treated the same as other forms of media and remain protected under the First Amendment. From how I understand it, California is trying to classify video games differently than other forms of media. Movies, books, etc..

Here's some further reading on the case that sparked everything if you are interested:
http://www.mediacoalition.org/VSDA-v.-Schwarzenegger-

 

[mindcycle]

Here's another good read for those of you who are still confused by what this is all about.

The concern is that the Supreme Court may have seen some merit in the effort to treat games different that movies and books and regulate their distribution in a manner that is not applied to other mediums. This is exactly what the California law attempted to accomplish. Considering the composition of the court and the stakes, it is no wonder that the industry took this very seriously. After all, any restriction on the sale of games or effort to treat game as "second class" citizens on the marketplace of ideas, entitled to less protection that other form of entertainment media, would have dire effects on our industry going forward.

http://www.gamasutra.com/blogs/Thom...Industry_Response_in_Schwarzenegger_v_EMA.php

 

[konakid7]

Signed. Down with censorship!

 

[ViviTheMage]

signed, the cali government is lame!