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After
a long process of campaigning, opposition, and legislative
approval, a California bill which bans the sale of violent videogames to minors has been
signed into law. On Friday, Gov ernor Arnold Schwarzenegger approved
the bill, which levies fines of up to $1,000 for violations, and
requires that mature games be clearly labelled as such. “Today I
signed legislation to ensure parent involvement in determining
which video games are appropriate for their children,” said
Governor Schwarzenegger. “The bill I signed will require that
violent videogames be clearly labelled and not be sold to children
under 18 years old. Many of these games are made for adults and
choosing games that are appropriate for kids should be a decision
made by their parents.”
Assembly
Bill 1179 was written and championed by Assemblyman Leland Yee, who
has offered similar bills for several years now. Yee has maintained
his interest is not in censoring or limiting the games industry,
but in keeping minors from playing mature-themed games without
parental consent. Yee believes the interactive nature of videogames
creates a unique danger. “Unlike movies where you passively watch
violence, in a videogame, you are the active participant and making
decisions on who to stab, maim, burn or kill,” he said. “As a
result, these games serve as learning tools that have a dramatic
impact on our children.”
Opponents
of the legislation, including the Interactive Entertainment
Merchants Association (IEMA), an industry interest group, argue
that the current ESRB rating system already identifies mature
content in games and prevents sale of such games to minors.
Opponents also maintain legislation like Assembly Bill 1179
introduces regulations for game media in ways that books, movies,
and music are not, and see such laws as a challenge to First
Amendment rights.
California
is not only the US's most populous state, but the primary home of the $31 billion
videogame industry. Assembly Bill 1179 will officially become law
on
January 1st, 2006.
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