Double Standards

The L.A. Times (registration required to get the full story) reports that Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich will introduce legislature today to regulate the sale of violent and graphic video games to minors. The bills would make it a misdemeanor to sell or rent sexually graphic or violent games to anyone younger than 18, punishable by as much as one year in prison and a $5,000 fine per offense. Retailers would have to label the games in a similar way to the "Parental Advisory" warning and stores would have to post signs explaining the video game rating system.

I'm frustrated by this. The ESRB has gotten awards on its rating system, and there's a lot of literature out there that seeks to educate parents on what things are rated. Video games had descriptors long before movies did, explaining why games were rated the way they were. Treating games differently than movies is wrong. If you want to block sales to minors, have the same kind of system in place for R-rated movies.

Plus, what ten-year old kid has $50.00 to go plunk down for GTA:San Andreas? Really?

Video games are getting more mature as the playing audience gets more mature, which is natural. I agree that I don't want Claire watching, much less playing, a game like Hitman, but I don't want her watching Assassins either.

More on this later - I've got stuff to study.