Bill to warn Video Game purchasers?

[AppleBonker]

http://gamepolitics.com/2011/01/25/cong ... bels-games

Congressman Joe Baca (D-Rialto, CA.) introduced a bill that mandates that "all video games with an Electronics Software Ratings Board rating of Teen or higher" must be sold with a health warning label. The bill is called "The Video Game Health Labeling Act of 2011" and would create a new rule within the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). The label would read:

"WARNING: Excessive exposure to violent video games and other violent media has been linked to aggressive behavior."

"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 Rep. Baca. "They have repeatedly failed to live up to this responsibility. Meanwhile research continues to show a proven link between playing violent games and increased aggression in young people. American families deserve to know the truth about these potentially dangerous products."

I find this quite disgusting and a huge waste of time. A video game is no more "potentially dangerous" than a toaster. If I throw a toaster at you hard enough, or hit you repeatedly with it, it will cause far more damage than a video game.

It's really hard for me to believe that there was violent crime 30+ years ago. Marilyn Manson (et al) and "violent" video games didn't exist back then. Hey wait, maybe the issue is that instead of parenting, people are throwing video games and other distractions at their children. In that case, I could see how the game is incorrectly determined to be the precursor to violent behavior. But, a closer look should reveal crappy parenting is to blame.

Thoughts anyone? Is this as much of a waste of time as I think it is? Is this even comparable to the SG warning on cigarettes (though I don't feel that needs to exist either)?

[audtatious]

Why don't they just make it illegal to have violence in games?

[AppleBonker]

That would be a good start. But we'd have to take care of violent lyrics in music. And remove violence from TV shows. And movies too. Is that where we are headed?

Also, if I'm being ridiculous, please let me know. I don't have children, so maybe my opinion is invalid. It just pains me to see parents throwing a PSP at Johnny to shut him up in the store/restaurant/etc. If I was being a fool in one of those locations, I didn't get games; I got beat. Why doesn't this happen any more? I think I turned out pretty much ok. I may be offensive, but I haven't gone on a murderous rampage or anything... yet.

[srellim234]

I live in the area here and have to put up with listening to the Baca lunacy. To put him in context, just about all you need to know is that he wants illegals to be welcomed as heroes, be given full citizenship on arrival and they should be rewarded by being granted a lifetime of financial support at taxpayer expense. He also seems to believe that the federal government has no financial restraints because, after all, the government can print unlimited supplies of money and he has zero understanding of such things as the consequences of borrowing, interest and deficits.

[audtatious]

He and Nancy must be close allies.

[BusyBadger]

If I was being a fool in one of those locations, I didn't get games; I got beat. Why doesn't this happen any more? I think I turned out pretty much ok. I may be offensive, but I haven't gone on a murderous rampage or anything... yet.

Sounds like we need a bill advocating video game purchases to prevent violence towards children.

Stupid bill, there are already labels on games and most stores now actually card the purchaser. If the parents can't be involved enough to be engaged in the raising of their child perhaps they need a little violence in their household to remind of their responsibilities, both to their children and to society.

I was in an EB Games years ago when an angry mother stormed in ranting about the content of a game (Grand Theft Auto: Vice City) and how no 10 year old should be allowed to play it. When the store manager asked why she bought it for him she said she didn't know what the game was about.

Nice.

As a Hoosier and longtime B'town resident I'd like to see the study from the "University of Indiana" too...I've never heard of a University of Indiana. If they're going to have some quasi-academic website they should hire a fact checker...it's Indiana University. Idiots.

Apple...where in da' region are you?

[AppleBonker]

Rocking out in Valpo.

And maybe it's because all the other schools in the Big Ten pretty much follow that naming convention? Though, the IU cheer doesn't make much sense if the school's name actually was U of Indiana...

[bigbadberry3]

Someone show me actually proof of this link please. It's not like there was no violence before video games.

[IBCoupe]

I just wasted a good amount of time trying to find a website that would say that there was no violence before video games, but the internet is too lazy to make that joke site for me.

[audtatious]

Pong didn't make my generation violent.

lol

[stebo0728]

At one time consuming high amounts of red meat was considered to be linked to elevated aggressive behavior, did they put a warning on t-bones and ribeyes?

Seriously all this warning crap has gotten out of control, just another aspect of the "roll-over" society we are nurturing these days

[AppleBonker]

Seriously all this warning crap has gotten out of control, just another aspect of the "roll-over" society we are nurturing these days

This. I sometimes disagree with you, but I could not agree more in this case. In fact, I think we should do away with all warnings. I hate the street signs that tell you not to park your car on train tracks. In the interest of self-preservation, I wasn't planning on it. I don't need a sign to tell me this. If there was a sign to warn me of every potential danger out there in the world, there would be an infinite number of signs. Get rid of the signs and let idiots kill themselves off. Survival of the fittest needs to make a comeback.

[stebo0728]

...I sometimes disagree with you...

Nothing wrong with that, like I always say, if 2 people completely agree on everything, then one of them isnt necessary

[IBCoupe]

Nothing wrong with that, like I always say, if 2 people completely agree on everything, then one of them isnt necessary

I just had the most fantastic idea ever:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2O23EzxT ... re=related[/youtube]

[s0m3th1ngAZ]

Pong didn't make my generation violent.

lol

Yeah, but it did make you paddle our generation a lot more.
And for that I thank you.