Truth in Video Game Rating Act: Difference between revisions
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The [[Entertainment Software Rating Board|ESRB]] also known as the entertainment software rating board is responsible for rating video games based on what age the player should be, and what content is allowed in the games. They have been rating video, and computer games for the last 2 decades in the [[United States]] and [[Canada.]] There ratings are meant to be used as guidelines for parents and children to see if it is acceptable for them to play the game or not. The [[Entertainment Software Rating Board|ESRB]] is a [[self-regulated organization]], so the federal government does not enforce the guidelines set by them. However on January 15, 2013,[[Jim Matheson]] the representative for Utah’s 4th congressional district introduced a new bill to the House of Representatives. This bill is called the '''video games ratings enforcement act''', and its purpose was to require all video games to have a visible rating on the cover. It also wanted it to be illegal for anyone under 18 to buy/rent video games that were rated as adult video games.<ref>{{cite web | title=Text of the Video Games Ratings Enforcement Act | url=https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/113/hr287}}</ref> This means it would be deemed illegal for anyone to sell/ rent out video games that did not have a visible rating on the cover/ packaging of the video game. It also would require the store clerks at retailers to check for ID when selling video games to ensure that the buyer is buying a game that is age appropriate. In case there were retailers, or people that did not abide by these rules, they would face a maximum fine of $5000 per infringement.<ref>{{cite web | title=Text of the Video Games Ratings Enforcement Act | url=https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/113/hr287}}</ref> Currently most retailers in the U.S and Canada only carry games that have an ESRB rating on Although the rating system has been around for quite some time, it was after the [[Sandy Hook]] shooting that occurred in Newton, Connecticut that gun violence was linked back to the violence seen in video games. The U.S president [[Barack Obama]] has also tried to get researchers to try and discover whether or not children are being affected by violence in video games.<ref>{{cite web | title=Bill seeks stricter enforcement of video game ratings | url=http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/gaming/2013/01/18/bill-stricter-video-game-ratings/1844665/}}</ref> Currently the bill only has a 1% chance of being passed as it deals with censorship, and the inability for game developers to release their games freely. However if the law is to pass, then retailers and video game developers have 180 days to change the layout of there operations to meet the requirements of the law.<ref>{{cite web | title=Censorship At Its Finest: H.R. 287, The "Video Games Ratings Enforcement Act" | url=http://transparentseas.net/2013/01/17/censorship-at-its-finest-h-r-287-the-video-games-ratings-enforcement-act/}}</ref> The people opposing the bill believe that it should be up to the parents of the children to decide whether or not they want them playing the game, and not against the law. |
The [[Entertainment Software Rating Board|ESRB]] also known as the entertainment software rating board is responsible for rating video games based on what age the player should be, and what content is allowed in the games. They have been rating video, and computer games for the last 2 decades in the [[United States]] and [[Canada.]] There ratings are meant to be used as guidelines for parents and children to see if it is acceptable for them to play the game or not. The [[Entertainment Software Rating Board|ESRB]] is a [[self-regulated organization]], so the federal government does not enforce the guidelines set by them. However on January 15, 2013,[[Jim Matheson]] the representative for Utah’s 4th congressional district introduced a new bill to the House of Representatives. This bill is called the '''video games ratings enforcement act''', and its purpose was to require all video games to have a visible rating on the cover. It also wanted it to be illegal for anyone under 18 to buy/rent video games that were rated as adult video games.<ref>{{cite web | title=Text of the Video Games Ratings Enforcement Act | url=https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/113/hr287}}</ref> This means it would be deemed illegal for anyone to sell/ rent out video games that did not have a visible rating on the cover/ packaging of the video game. It also would require the store clerks at retailers to check for ID when selling video games to ensure that the buyer is buying a game that is age appropriate. In case there were retailers, or people that did not abide by these rules, they would face a maximum fine of $5000 per infringement.<ref>{{cite web | title=Text of the Video Games Ratings Enforcement Act | url=https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/113/hr287}}</ref> Currently most retailers in the U.S and Canada only carry games that have an ESRB rating on Although the rating system has been around for quite some time, it was after the [[Sandy Hook]] shooting that occurred in Newton, Connecticut that gun violence was linked back to the violence seen in video games. The U.S president [[Barack Obama]] has also tried to get researchers to try and discover whether or not children are being affected by violence in video games.<ref>{{cite web | title=Bill seeks stricter enforcement of video game ratings | url=http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/gaming/2013/01/18/bill-stricter-video-game-ratings/1844665/}}</ref> Currently the bill only has a 1% chance of being passed as it deals with censorship, and the inability for game developers to release their games freely. However if the law is to pass, then retailers and video game developers have 180 days to change the layout of there operations to meet the requirements of the law.<ref>{{cite web | title=Censorship At Its Finest: H.R. 287, The "Video Games Ratings Enforcement Act" | url=http://transparentseas.net/2013/01/17/censorship-at-its-finest-h-r-287-the-video-games-ratings-enforcement-act/}}</ref> The people opposing the bill believe that it should be up to the parents of the children to decide whether or not they want them playing the game, and not against the law. |
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Revision as of 19:46, 14 August 2014
The United States Truth in Video Game Rating Act (S.3935) is a bill introduced by Senator Sam Brownback (R-KS) on September 27, 2006. The act would require the ESRB to have access to the full content of and hands-on time with the games it was to rate, rather than simply relying on the video demonstrations submitted by developers and publishers.[1]
The bill makes no considerations for mods, total conversions, user generated content, procedurally generated content, unused disc space, blocked/disabled out portions of code, player behavior in online games, and various other factors out of the control of the developers (such as how the player decides to play the unsaid game).
This bill was unacted upon during its original session and was reintroduced by Senator Brownback on February 14, 2007 under the same title "the Truth in Video Game Rating Act" with a new session number (S.568). As of March 2007, S.568 remains in the Senate Committee.[2]
References
- ^ "Senate Proposes New ESRB Legislation". Gamasutra. Retrieved September 27, 2006.
- ^ WashingtonWatch.com - S. 568, The Truth in Video Game Rating Act
External links
- Brownback Bill Would Improve Video Game Ratings - Senator says current game ratings system lacks objectivity, Sam Brownback Press release, September 27, 2006
- Congress seeks truth in video game ratings, Ars Technica, September 27, 2006
- Congressman Sponsors "Truth in Video Game Rating Act", GamePolitics.com, September 27, 2006
- ESA Responds to Congressman's "Truth in Video Game Rating Act", GamePolitics.com, September 27, 2006
Progress
The ESRB also known as the entertainment software rating board is responsible for rating video games based on what age the player should be, and what content is allowed in the games. They have been rating video, and computer games for the last 2 decades in the United States and Canada. There ratings are meant to be used as guidelines for parents and children to see if it is acceptable for them to play the game or not. The ESRB is a self-regulated organization, so the federal government does not enforce the guidelines set by them. However on January 15, 2013,Jim Matheson the representative for Utah’s 4th congressional district introduced a new bill to the House of Representatives. This bill is called the video games ratings enforcement act, and its purpose was to require all video games to have a visible rating on the cover. It also wanted it to be illegal for anyone under 18 to buy/rent video games that were rated as adult video games.[1] This means it would be deemed illegal for anyone to sell/ rent out video games that did not have a visible rating on the cover/ packaging of the video game. It also would require the store clerks at retailers to check for ID when selling video games to ensure that the buyer is buying a game that is age appropriate. In case there were retailers, or people that did not abide by these rules, they would face a maximum fine of $5000 per infringement.[2] Currently most retailers in the U.S and Canada only carry games that have an ESRB rating on Although the rating system has been around for quite some time, it was after the Sandy Hook shooting that occurred in Newton, Connecticut that gun violence was linked back to the violence seen in video games. The U.S president Barack Obama has also tried to get researchers to try and discover whether or not children are being affected by violence in video games.[3] Currently the bill only has a 1% chance of being passed as it deals with censorship, and the inability for game developers to release their games freely. However if the law is to pass, then retailers and video game developers have 180 days to change the layout of there operations to meet the requirements of the law.[4] The people opposing the bill believe that it should be up to the parents of the children to decide whether or not they want them playing the game, and not against the law.