TOYBOXX
The United States Congress is at it again. On Monday a new bill has been introduced with a warning label to all video games that reads:
“WARNING: Exposure to violent video games has been linked to aggressive behavior.”
The Dynamic, Dimwitted Duo, who concocted this jovial lunacy known non-other as the “Violence in Video Games Labeling Act” (H.R. 4204), Joe Baca (D-Calif.) and Frank Wolf (R-Va.), both have issued a statement following this great piece of disposable legislature that they’ve created:
“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,” said Representative Baca in a statement on the legislation. “They have repeatedly failed to live up to this responsibility. Meanwhile research continues to show that playing violent video games is a casual risk factor for a host of detrimental effects in both the short- and long-term, including increasing the likelihood of physically aggressive behavior. American families deserve to know the truth about these potentially dangerous products.”
“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,” Representative Wolf said. “As a parent and grandparent, I think it is important people know everything they can about the extremely violent nature of some of these games.”
Video games that have been rated by the ESRB “”E” for everyone, “E10+” for everyone 10 and older, “T” for teen, “M” for mature or “A” for adult” would get slapped with this new label. If passed, this new bill would easily contradict the ruling of CALIFORNIA v. ENTERTAINMENT MERCHANTS ASSOCIATION which deemed video games as a part of Free Speech. Something, of which, can’t co-exist among power hungry figure heads better known as the United States Congress.
And as always, to prevent a catastrophic disaster like this from happening, contact your State Legislator and make your voices heard.
Source: EGM
The growing scientific evidence shows a link: that people prone to aggressive behavior like violent video games, and that violent video games don’t cause aggressive behavior. There’s nothing damaging about that; in fact, it’s probably more damaging for such people to not have a virtual outlet. If we need to warn consumers of every possible side effect, how about “WARNING: Exposure to violent video games has been linked to lowered crime rates” (which is true)?