Ruling against age limit on game sales upheld

[5stringJeff]

Woo-hoo!

------------
Ruling against age limit on game sales upheld
Bob Egelko, Chronicle Staff Writer
Saturday, February 21, 2009

(02-20) 12:00 PST SAN FRANCISCO -- California's ban on selling video games to minors is unconstitutional because even the most graphic on-screen mayhem is free speech, and there's no convincing evidence it causes psychological damage to young people, a federal appeals court ruled Friday.

"The government may not restrict speech in order to control a minor's thoughts," said the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco in upholding a federal judge's ruling against the law, which has never been enforced. Similar laws in other states have also been struck down.

The head of an industry group that challenged the law praised the court's "rejection of video game censorship." State Sen. Leland Yee, D-San Francisco, sponsor of the law, urged state officials to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/02/21/BAI9161PAJ.DTL

[Abbey Marie]

By this logic, we should get rid of all age restrictions on movies. too. Let the little ones see R and even NC-17 movies without parental permission.

[dan]

Awesome! Here's to the first amendment::cheers2:

[Mr. P]

Will the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco, the most overturned court in the USA, also allow the sale of cigarettes and alcohol to minors too?

MORONS!

[dan]

I mean, it's not like there's that many kids who want to play and adult video game and don't get to. Just like there are very few teens who want to drink and/or smoke but don't because they're not old enough to buy it themselves.

[DannyR]

Will the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco, the most overturned court in the USA, also allow the sale of cigarettes and alcohol to minors too?

MORONS!

Why is the government in the nanny state business? Shouldn't PARENTS be the ones limiting what their kids watch and do?

Realistically though, while I love the 1st amendment and think parents should be the ones limiting their kids anyway, I don't see this ruling standing.

Since video games can contain full video in them, does this mean that a game like Playboy Mansion would be fine if it contained nude pics? And whats the difference between a game and going to a violent movie?

[Mr. P]

Why is the government in the nanny state business? Shouldn't PARENTS be the ones limiting what their kids watch and do?

Realistically though, while I love the 1st amendment and think parents should be the ones limiting their kids anyway, I don't see this ruling standing.

Since video games can contain full video in them, does this mean that a game like Playboy Mansion would be fine if it contained nude pics? And whats the difference between a game and going to a violent movie?

ABSOLUTELY! Parents are and should be the guide..but in this day as Dan eluded it's VERY difficult. So that's why I can't accept making it easy for kids that WILL do what kids will do, while making it MUCH more difficult for parents to parent.

[LiberalNation]

I hafta buy my brother M rated games. It is a pain and really these games are not all that bad. Good for thi court even if it will prolly be overturned. I've never liked age restrictions and that 21 to drink has never kept those under 21 from drinking.

[Mr. P]

I hafta buy my brother M rated games. It is a pain and really these games are not all that bad. Good for thi court even if it will prolly be overturned. I've never liked age restrictions and that 21 to drink has never kept those under 21 from drinking.

Speed limits don't keep everyone from speeding either but most folk abide by the law.

[LiberalNation]

no most folks don't abide by speeding laws, it's almost always 5 to 10mph over.

[Abbey Marie]

no most folks don't abide by speeding laws, it's almost always 5 to 10mph over.

If there were no speeding laws, those people would be going 20-30 miles faster.

[DannyR]

If there were no speeding laws, those people would be going 20-30 miles faster.Very true. Generally its well known here in Georgia that most police won't pull you over for 10 mph over the limit.

I regularly hit 80mph every day going into work and I'm still being passed (until I hit rush hour surge, then I go 0!)

[dan]

Yeah, but that's jaw-ja, they're basically one step away from martial law over there anyway!:poke:

Hijack: I think we've probably got more people from GA on here than any other state. I guess maybe CA is in the running, too.

[Mr. P]

Yeah, but that's jaw-ja, they're basically one step away from martial law over there anyway!:poke:

Hijack: I think we've probably got more people from GA on here than any other state. I guess maybe CA is in the running, too.

8 that I can think of off the top of my head. All north of the gnat line too! :laugh2:

[dan]

8 that I can think of off the top of my head. All north of the gnat line too! :laugh2:

what's the gnat line?

I can think of you, Jeff, the other Jeff, emmett, and now DannyR. Who am I missing?

[Mr. P]

what's the gnat line?

I can think of you, Jeff, the other Jeff, emmett, and now DannyR. Who am I missing?

The gnat line runs through middle Ga..Statesboro, Swainsboro...in the summer the gnats are hellacious from there south.

Jeff, Jeff, Me, Dan, Hobbit (in school but he is from Gainsville), Emmett, DannyR and Hagbard Celine.

[DannyR]

what's the gnat line?Draw an imaginary line from Augusta through Macon and on to Columbus and there you go. It corresponds to the area where the piedmont begins and the coastal plains end.

As the hills start to climb, the bugs decline

Grew up in Milledgeville. I'm happy to be north of there now during the summer.

[5stringJeff]

By this logic, we should get rid of all age restrictions on movies. too. Let the little ones see R and even NC-17 movies without parental permission.

Kids can already see R and NC-17 movies legally. The movie rating system is an industry standard, not a law.

[DragonStryk72]

Kids can already see R and NC-17 movies legally. The movie rating system is an industry standard, not a law.

Or just download them from one of a thousand or so bit torrent site, watch them online, or otherwise just get around the thing in any case.

[Abbey Marie]

Kids can already see R and NC-17 movies legally. The movie rating system is an industry standard, not a law.

Doesn't really matter who sets the standards, as long as they are there. If the industry did not set the standards, chances are the gov't would step in.

The reality is, our daughter was turned away trying to see an R rated movie recently (she's 17). We were there at the box office, and told the ticket seller that we were ok with it. They said she could not see it unless one of us actually sat through the movie with her.

[dan]

The reality is, our daughter was turned away trying to see an R rated movie recently (she's 17). We were there at the box office, and told the ticket seller that we were ok with it. They said she could not see it unless one of us actually sat through the movie with her.

Technically, at 17, they should have let her in:

http://a44paco.files.wordpress.com/2007/02/r-rating.jpg

[LiberalNation]

some of the booth workers like to get on power trips doing shit like that.

[DannyR]

some of the booth workers like to get on power trips doing shit like that.Do you live in a 1 theater town? If not, then I somehow doubt that the manager of the theater enjoys losing ticket sales (assuming you're not a problematic movie goer with a past history of disruption)

[LiberalNation]

1 theater town.

[Agnapostate]

Sorry for the necro, but...


Speed limits don't keep everyone from speeding either but most folk abide by the law.

Aside from the evidence indicating that speed limits may not necessarily make roads safer (see Montana's formerly established "reasonable and prudent" limit), there is much evidence indicating that early and moderate alcohol consumption plays a role in deterring persons from experimentation with binge drinking later in life.

I've never tried to disguise the fact that on the whole, I have disdain for age restrictions. It seems a radical position, but I'm of the opinion that there are more effective and less arbitrary methods of judging one's abilities to make rational and informed decisions about one's own lives and actions.

[Trinity]

Kids can already see R and NC-17 movies legally. The movie rating system is an industry standard, not a law.

Very true...........My son and his friend went and saw fast and furious at the theater about two weeks ago it's rated PG-13. They are both still twelve almost 13 but not quite there yet. Although to look at them you would guess them to be close to 14 or 15.

[Agnapostate]

I've never even seen an ID check done for PG-13 movies.

[emmett]

The gnat line runs through middle Ga..Statesboro, Swainsboro...in the summer the gnats are hellacious from there south.

Jeff, Jeff, Me, Dan, Hobbit (in school but he is from Gainsville), Emmett, DannyR and Hagbard Celine.


Haven't heard from Hobbit or Hagbard Celine lately! Wonder what's up with them. Isn't Sitarro from Ga?

[Mr. P]

Haven't heard from Hobbit or Hagbard Celine lately! Wonder what's up with them. Isn't Sitarro from Ga?

Pretty sure Hobbit is in school..donno about Hag, maybe CNN laid him of?
Sitarro..La. I think, not sure though.

[Psychoblues]

Interesting!!!!!!!!!!!

[MtnBiker]

I bought a WWII genre game that had the ability to turn off the gore and bad language in the game. I thought that was a nice feature. I didn't use it, but if someone wanted to it easy to do. Game makers could make that available and give the consumer the choice.

[Insein]

All this ruling means is that a law can not be made to restrict the sale of M-rated video games to minors. Stores can and should still enforce the policy as a matter of responsible business practices. Walmart, Target and Gamestop still ask for ID when selling M rated games. Its not a law in most states but they have it as store policy.

Parents have to step up to the plate here. If they allow their children to play M-rated games and even purchase them for them, they have nothing to gripe about. Even you think your kid purchased an M-rated game without your permission, then pay attention to what they are playing and monitor them.

This is a good thing that the court did not rule in favor of more government control. We need to take more responsibility into our own hands.