New Massachusetts bill will treat video games similar to porn

http://gamepolitics.com/2008/03/17/massachusetts-will-consider-video-game-legislation-this-week/

I don't know about you but I'm glad they're devoting so much time to this.:bang:

 

Video games and pr0n...didn't we cover this subject in depth a couple of weeks ago in the "look at this cool force-feedback gaming vest" thread? :grin:

Granted, this is taking place in another state (Alaskan's are not this stupid; we just build bridges to no where...), but I would guess if I was allowed to "look around" I could find something better for this legislature to be doing.

 

Video games are not in the same level as porn.

Kids can however watch TV, and see the news with real deaths, real tragedies.

Back when I was growing up, and my dads generation, if you did something you shouldn't, you would get the belt over your backside.

Was rare you did it again.

These days with all this political correctness, things are getting out of hand, everything is getting banned or restricted or completely abandoned, and I'm yet to see any decent results.

If piracy is so bad, these kids are going to get the games themselves, because parents aren't interested in what their kids play, OR, the parents will buy the games for their kids.

It will only stop a few certain kids from accessing it, and they'll probably play at a friends house anyway.

There's more important things in the world that people should be dealing with. This definitely isn't one of those things.

 

thats what needs to happen the kids now don't have respect they need to bring the belt back. :whip:

 

Sorry to go all political here, but I believe there's a bigger picture.Governments, particularly the US the last 20 or so years has been on a mission to "take care of us". Politicians are no longer interested in what's best for the country as a whole, and people aren't either.There's a mentality growing here that our elected officials are a sugar daddys and the ones who promise the most are ones getting elected.Now leave it to old Kennedy to pervert his brothers words."Ask-what can my country do for me?"
Now to the laws.Isn't it strange that crimes like theft, assault, or even murder,are carrying lighter sentences, while the "real important" issues, such as violence in video games,or file sharing are getting so much attention?
Why are the trivial matters getting so much attention, and crimes are only "a sad ramification of a troubled childhood?"
What the hell's going on?? Is welfare, and socialized medicine really worth this?
@KC- sorry for ranting in your thread-I'm just fed up do gooder politicians, who should be tackling real issues.

 

You know, I hate to say it but I'm not surprised. Those states have been going further and further into a nanny system so it really isn't shocking to see them start to regulate media 'for the good of the children'.

 

No problem, that's exactly the point of this thread. We've got real issues/problems that we should be dealing with but instead we waste time on this crap. Part of the problem is parents, they're so damn lazy they want the schools/Gov't to do their jobs so they don't have to. They'd rather the Gov't ban video games, music or whatever so they don't have to keep track of what they're watching/playing. Then politicians pander to these type of people in order to get voted into office, "I'll protect you from blah blah blah".

 

lol, this is because simulated digital nudity is the closest Massachusetts will ever get to sex.

 

Exactly, parents aren't held responsible for their actions and controlling what their kids do.

If something go's wrong with their kids, it's the Governments fault, if something happens in ANY area of their life that go's wrong, it's the governments fault, and lets sue some people because I'm neglecting my duty.

People should pass a test to have kids, and goto some kind of class =)

 

Finch is right, this bill will give parents an excuse not to be responsible. Its not a far stretch that parents are the key to blame for the bad behaviors.

You remember a thread about a kid who was mad because the system ended up in the pool?

 

People die from gunshot massacre.

Americans love guns, so don't want to give them up.

Blame something else, something people who vote can hate easily. Preferably something they don't understand, or ever will for that matter.

Ah! Video games!

I don't dislike guns. I actually quite like them, alot. Hunting and fishing are some wholesome outdoor activities. But do people really need Glock 9's, Pump action coach barrels, semi auto rifles, uzi's, M4s to do a bit of hunting? Certainly not. Should the US government do something about poverty? Probably

 

Man, I really hate the old stupid people who are making laws these days. They don't have any sort of grasp on the modern world.

 

I'm not sure what the state laws are regarding violent video games, but I know that stores here won't sell Mature rated games to people under 17 years of age. At least, that's what Walmart does.

 

They banned Manhunt in New Zealand, so when I read that in the paper, I rushed out to get my copy, thinking, Damn! That's gotta be good.

It was ok. Kinda lame.

 

Walmart does that everywhere,they're supposed to be a "family" oriented store.Last I knew Walmart wouldn't sell music with the "Explicit Lyrics" warning label. As far as the goverment goes in the US, if they want to make laws, make laws that hold parents and legal gaurdians responsible for what minors get in there possesion and their actions. Making another under 18 law, will only IMHO makeminors look to finding other means to get their copies of such material, and with computers,the internet and poor parental supervision, that's a piece of cake.

 

What do you think? Do you think it would be a bad thing if under 18s pirated games they were banned from playing, therefore taking a massive chunk out the gaming industries money. Or do you think it won't matter, they never had any money to begin with. xD

I don't wanna see another Iron Lore because of piracy.

 

Waste of time, this law wont do a thing. I hate how the government drifts away from the more serious issues we are having.

 

I thought games couldn't be sold to people that didn't meet the age requirements anyway...

And I agree with what everyone else is saying; everything is going down the crappy. Parents are taking less and less responsibility for their children's upbringing, and the children are ending up with less and less respect. Everything has gotten too soft and too politically correct.

And there's nothing wrong with porn. Stop being silly. God damn uptight senators. Both games and porn should be easy to get a hold of, assuming you meet the age. But mention porn anywhere, and you will be shushed, and leave a store that does sell porn and you get looked at like a criminal (not that I have ever bought porn from a store).

I remember when my mum was disgusted at me playing BioShock because you could kill little girls. This was around the time Maddie went missing (anyone in the UK will know what I mean). WHAT THE **** HAS BIOSHOCK GOT TO DO WITH MADDIE?! And you don't have to kill the little girl, you can save her. It's the whole dynamic of the game, to make you think.

But noooo, she can't see past the "Violent game + Little Girl = Monstrous and barbaric and totally insensitive to the current events of the country" ideology.

Sigh. Some people.

 

Well, at least you have now quenched your insatiable thirst for killing little girls. Maybe next there should be a "strangling kittens" RPG.

 

Whoever said I wanted to kill little girls? I never did kill any, except for the bare minimum you need to kill for the "bad" ending and the achievement that went with it.

And you can't compare it to strangling little kittens at all. Stop being an ass.