Rep. Joe Baca Rails Against Supreme Court Decision

[Andy Chalk]

Of course, that ignores the fact that the videogame industry does more than any other entertainment business to keep parents educated and informed about its products, and that videogames have a higher level of age rating compliance than any other medium on the market.

You make a few good points but that statement is complete nonsense. Both the music AND movie industries have very clear(to the consumer anyway) guidelines and ratings systems. And while video games have a system of their own, it is not in fact enough to discourage minors from playing games. which is a misnomer anyway. Let's call it partaking in interactive entertainment, since that is waaaay more accurate a description than gaming for a lot of the major franchises.

Funny, I've never seen posters in music stores or movie theaters describing what each rating means. I've never seen detailed content descriptors on the backs of DVDs or CDs. I've never seen the heads of other rating agencies joining with state Governors to produce PSAs about their industries and classification systems. And I do very clearly recall repeated FTC surveys finding that videogame retailers have a significantly higher rate of compliance with age ratings than movie theaters and DVD and CD retailers.

So perhaps you could clarify "complete nonsense" for me.

 

[PhunkyPhazon]

Joe Baca thinks videogames are dangerous. Dangerous enough that he has twice introduced a bill that would require all videogames rated T (Teen) or higher to carry health warning labels,

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

Oh man, I need to go lay down. *snicker*

 

[KnifeyMcStaberson]

Someone Does Something.
[spoiler ]
Someone Else disapproves.

Spoiler

SHOCKING!

[/spoiler]

 

[Byere]

But hey, why let things like "facts" get in the way of hysterical pandering, right?

Isn't that how all religious arguments work?

OT: Yea, I'm glad he lost and I'm happy for the ruling. At least SOMEONE has some sense over the matter.

Pfft, there's been more movies about sex and violence than the entire history of video games combined.

 

[Canadamus Prime]

I wonder if he's aware that his surname means "idiot" in Japanese.

 

[shrekfan246]

Well, perhaps church's and schools should carry health warnings, as children primarily partake in sedimentary activities in those places.

I assume you meant "sedentary"? Though I would be interested in seeing how church-goers and students partake in rock-related activities (Outside of science class).

Don't really have an OT for this. Just another guy spewing out personal opinions on how bad video games are.

 

[JasonKaotic]

So... why isn't he ranting about films, then?
The guy's an idiot and we should all ignore him and let him continue his confused life.

 

[UNHchabo]

Funny, I've never seen posters in music stores or movie theaters describing what each rating means. I've never seen detailed content descriptors on the backs of DVDs or CDs.

While the rest of your post is completely true, since 2001 the MPAA has started releasing content descriptors along with their ratings for almost all rated movies.

http://www.mpaa.org/ratings/how-to-read-a-rating

As I wrote in my letter to Rep. Baca though, neither the MPAA nor its ratings organization releases more detailed descriptions like the ESRB does. The ESRB, for instance, warns parents about the "glass in mouth" sequence from CoD:BlOps.

 

[Jodah]

I've begun to believe that these idiots have never even looked at a game package. Simply examining one for 30 seconds would result in them seeing the ESRB labels.

 

[cynicalsaint1]

But ... but ... they already have warning labels ... that say "M for Mature audiences only" ... and go on to list the content that caused them to warrant such a rating ...

*facepalm*

I suppose its too much to hope that our nation's lawmakers be in touch with reality.

 

[Wandrecanada]

I believe 'Baca' means 'stupid' in Japanese.

Also what exactly could you possibly put down on a warning label on a videogame that would ACTUALLY discourage ppl. from buying it, short of citing a direct link with cancer. Wait.. I think I just made up Fox News' latest headline..

I believe it most closely translates into 'idiot' which is pretty appropriate for a man who champions such idiotic ideals.

 

[Android2137]

All games rated at least T? Good sir, what has Tetris done to you? What is so obscene about Pong? What do you have against Bejeweled? Sometimes, people are just paranoid...

Captcha: Dexter seristyp
...What exactly are you saying to me, Captcha?

 

[theApoc]

Funny, I've never seen posters in music stores or movie theaters describing what each rating means. I've never seen detailed content descriptors on the backs of DVDs or CDs. I've never seen the heads of other rating agencies joining with state Governors to produce PSAs about their industries and classification systems. And I do very clearly recall repeated FTC surveys finding that videogame retailers have a significantly higher rate of compliance with age ratings than movie theaters and DVD and CD retailers.

So perhaps you could clarify "complete nonsense" for me.

Simple enough to do. Movies and music are not INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT. And while it may be easy to lump them all together, they are not in the same category when it comes to ratings and or monitoring. Movies have 4 ratings(6 if you count porn), with very simple explanations. If you go see an R rated movie you will see material that has been deemed inappropriate for unsupervised children, period. If you buy an album with a parental advisory sticker, guess what? There are swear words, even just ONE swear, gets the sticker.

So now lets look at game ratings.

EARLY CHILDHOOD
Titles rated EC (Early Childhood) have content that may be suitable for ages 3 and older. Contains no material that parents would find inappropriate.

EVERYONE
Titles rated E (Everyone) have content that may be suitable for ages 6 and older. Titles in this category may contain minimal cartoon, fantasy or mild violence and/or infrequent use of mild language.

EVERYONE 10+
Titles rated E10+ (Everyone 10 and older) have content that may be suitable for ages 10 and older. Titles in this category may contain more cartoon, fantasy or mild violence, mild language and/or minimal suggestive themes.

TEEN
Titles rated T (Teen) have content that may be suitable for ages 13 and older. Titles in this category may contain violence, suggestive themes, crude humor, minimal blood, simulated gambling, and/or infrequent use of strong language.

MATURE
Titles rated M (Mature) have content that may be suitable for persons ages 17 and older. Titles in this category may contain intense violence, blood and gore, sexual content and/or strong language.

ADULTS ONLY
Titles rated AO (Adults Only) have content that should only be played by persons 18 years and older. Titles in this category may include prolonged scenes of intense violence and/or graphic sexual content and nudity.

Pretty straightforward right? Except there is a big difference between "May have content suitable for X" and "Game allows you to kill hookers and steal their money". Or, "Game shows drug use" and "Player can drink alcohol to regain health or other bonuses". Game ratings are most like TV ratings, however, they are not as clear as to what the player will actually be DOING.

Bottom line, as soon as you add a controller, you have changed the nature of how a person sees a particular story. The whole point of a good game is to give the player the ability to chose. To fit themselves into the story. That interaction separates gaming from all other types of media. And ultimately I think the fear of the politicians is that this interactivity can be at the very least influential and at its worst dangerous. So while I think most politicians are talking out of their ass, the idea that this is some sort of great victory for gamers is ridiculous. If anything it should be shining the light on a real and immediate problem with the industry: How interactive is TOO interactive for children and who gets to decide...

 

[frehls]

hue

 

[shrekfan246]

Snip

Ahem...
From the ESRB Website: God of War III:
Rating: Mature

Content descriptors: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Nudity, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content

Rating summary:

This is an action-adventure game in which players assume the role of a half-human, half-god-like Spartan (Kratos) who seeks revenge against the gods of Mount Olympus. Steeped in ancient Greek mythology, the game depicts a fantasy world on an epic scale.

It also depicts exaggerated acts of violence and frequent killing. Using double-chained blades and arrows, players hack-and-slash skeleton soldiers, rabid dogs, a centaur, a cyclops, fire-breathing creatures, and other monsters. This combat is both bloody and fantastical. Large sprays of red blood occur when enemies are hit. Blood often stains the ground, surrounding walls, and sometimes on Kratos' body. When defeated, enemies drop magical, glowing orbs that boost health and experience. The most intense depictions of violence occur during boss battles with the gods. Players engage in close-up and extended battles that are completed by pressing button sequences corresponding to on-screen prompts. One god will be thrown repeatedly into rocks and walls; another god's eyes will be gauged out by thumbs. A god may get pummeled into the ground or have its legs sliced off, its head torn off. In one sequence, blood will stain the screen after each of Kratos' blows, building up to the point of complete saturation. Immediately after 'dying,' the defeated gods often have fantastical endings such as transforming into a swarm of mitelike insects or a cascade of plummeting water.

The game contains a sex mini-game. Players will encounter a goddess and her two hand maidens, all topless, all holding and caressing each other. If players wish to, they may join the goddess (and only the goddess) in bed. Actual sex is never depicted as the camera drifts, then fixes on the two maidens, who watch from a distance. As players respond to the on-screen prompts with button presses, the topless maidens will continue to watch, and sometimes caress. Moaning sounds from the bed can be heard throughout the sequence.

The game includes some behind-the-scenes footage that contains a few instances of profanity (e.g., 'f**k' and 'sh*t').

EDIT: http://www.esrb.org/ratings/synopsis.jsp?Certificate=28666 for anyone who thinks I might have been talking out of my ass. It takes all of two minutes to go to the website and type in the name of the game, then by clicking a little "More" button you get that handy little summary.
I do applaud you for your descriptions of each individual rating level, though.

 

[Andy Chalk]

Funny, I've never seen posters in music stores or movie theaters describing what each rating means. I've never seen detailed content descriptors on the backs of DVDs or CDs.

While the rest of your post is completely true, since 2001 the MPAA has started releasing content descriptors along with their ratings for almost all rated movies.

http://www.mpaa.org/ratings/how-to-read-a-rating

In my defense, I really have never seen detailed content descriptors on the backs of DVDs. And on a more serious note, based on that illustration I still don't see the MPAA getting as detailed and descriptive as the ESRB. But we're really just splitting hairs, the big point is that the ESRB is the most effective system available, bar none. Could it be better? Sure, but you can say that about pretty much anything. That doesn't make it completely irrational to center out videogames as the great risk of our age when every available fact clearly indicates otherwise.

 

[Zelda_Lover26]

Hey, my mom just came up with a crazy idea...

if parents don't want to pay attention... have the retailers do it... all they would really have to do is ask for an ID if it is a mature rated game. or if an adult tries to buy an M rated game, and they have a ten year old or something, don't let them buy it. They may end up hating it... but hey, if they want the government to step in, their going to have to put up with the consequences. And this sound stupid (and a note, I'm not on their side, this label thing is a really stupid idea, mainly because you have no physical evidence that any of those warning are true, and to me, you have no proof, your argument is invalid) but if it will finally make them shut up, I say let them... not like its going to make any difference to me, I'm 19, I'll by whatever games I want. Besides, when has such a label ever actually worked?

Retailers already ask for ID if the customer looks like they may be under 18. They will, however, sell the game if an adult okays it. The current ESRB labels are generally complied with, too. You need to read up a bit more on all this. This site alone should suffice.
Also, if you don't care about something unless it affects you, then you are no better than, say, the people who did the California bill.

Hmm.... you right.... this doesn't only effect me.... still though, you didn't need to compare me to those people, I am just as much against all this controversy on video games as you are. I apologize if I offended you.

 

[theApoc]

Ahem...
From the ESRB Website: God of War III:
Rating: Mature

Content descriptors: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Nudity, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content

Rating summary:

This is an action-adventure game in which players assume the role of a half-human, half-god-like Spartan (Kratos) who seeks revenge against the gods of Mount Olympus. Steeped in ancient Greek mythology, the game depicts a fantasy world on an epic scale.

It also depicts exaggerated acts of violence and frequent killing. Using double-chained blades and arrows, players hack-and-slash skeleton soldiers, rabid dogs, a centaur, a cyclops, fire-breathing creatures, and other monsters. This combat is both bloody and fantastical. Large sprays of red blood occur when enemies are hit. Blood often stains the ground, surrounding walls, and sometimes on Kratos' body. When defeated, enemies drop magical, glowing orbs that boost health and experience. The most intense depictions of violence occur during boss battles with the gods. Players engage in close-up and extended battles that are completed by pressing button sequences corresponding to on-screen prompts. One god will be thrown repeatedly into rocks and walls; another god's eyes will be gauged out by thumbs. A god may get pummeled into the ground or have its legs sliced off, its head torn off. In one sequence, blood will stain the screen after each of Kratos' blows, building up to the point of complete saturation. Immediately after 'dying,' the defeated gods often have fantastical endings such as transforming into a swarm of mitelike insects or a cascade of plummeting water.

The game contains a sex mini-game. Players will encounter a goddess and her two hand maidens, all topless, all holding and caressing each other. If players wish to, they may join the goddess (and only the goddess) in bed. Actual sex is never depicted as the camera drifts, then fixes on the two maidens, who watch from a distance. As players respond to the on-screen prompts with button presses, the topless maidens will continue to watch, and sometimes caress. Moaning sounds from the bed can be heard throughout the sequence.

The game includes some behind-the-scenes footage that contains a few instances of profanity (e.g., 'f**k' and 'sh*t').

Thanks for proving my point. Games allow you to DO all sorts of questionable things, movies and music simply allow you to see and hear them. I didn't say that it was impossible for parents to get information about a particular game or its rating. What I said was that there is a big difference between passive and interactive entertainment. That movie, music and TV ratings do a far better job at conveying what TYPE of material the person will be seeing. I don't need to know that a character says F@#$! in an R rated movie to go into one expecting to hear it. Games are simply not the same. M for mature? That means something different in nearly every game out there. Should parents be more responsible in their choices of games for their children, absolutely.

But lobbying for more accountability on the part of the industry and retailers is not crazy either. I contend that passive media ratings systems are more straightforward and better tools for allowing parents to make good decisions. How much of that information about the game is on the package? In the advertisements? Maybe as games become more mainstream and more gamers have children the level of awareness will increase, but for now, it IS up to the retailers and the industry to police themselves, and short of that I don't see anything wrong with the question being raised in the courts.

 

[zelda2fanboy]

This shit is why I'm not a democrat anymore. I almost wish these out of touch idiots lived in my state, so I could have the pleasure of voting against them. They do not deserve gainful employment. At least Illinois has the decency to throw them in jail every once in awhile.