Posted Apr 09, 2007 at 03:55PM by Ceasar S. Listed in: News Tags: Congress, FTC, Michigan
Ó

Congressman Fred Upton from Michigan - Image 1While HR1531, better known as the Video Game Decency Act, is still going through review in Congress, Michigan Congressman Fred Upton declared that the bill was a way for the legislative body to restore parental faith on the ratings system currently used on games.

As the bill's sponsor, he explained that the bill was being reviewed to prevent developers and publishers from withholding questionable content from the ESRB. The bill is supposed to introduce a form of discipline for the game industry from bending around the rating system that parents have been unwilling to trust since the 2005 Hot Coffee scandal.

But what about the game industry's freedom? Rights activists and gamers alike were quick to question the motives of the bill - which is having to police even the game development process and the content that eventually get shipped to retail stores. Upton reassured the public that the bill was "written under the strict guidelines of the Constitution."

That aside, Upton believes that the FTC should be empowered with the ability to punish game developers and publishers who sneak age-inappropriate content past the ratings system. However, he seems to be partial to the Rockstar Games' claim of "it was the HaXorZ, we tell you!" In fact, he mentioned:

It is unfortunate that a few bad players have tarnished the integrity of the ratings system. The Federal Trade Commission currently does not have the tools necessary to pursue game makers who maliciously deceive consumers - this legislation will change that, and parents will be able to have faith in the ratings system once again.




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5 Comments


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   by theTick197 - 2007-04-09
 » uhhg.

Joel Leiberman Jack Thompson and the rest of em just make me sick. Oh well, doesnt matter cause video games are an art form and therefore are protected in the Constitution.


   Re: Koru-Kun - 2007-04-09
 » omg

i bet you'd also say that murder and rape is an art form, thus it should be protected by the Constitution... +_+;;
   by Advertising -
   by Koru-Kun - 2007-04-09
 » this bill.....

is actually a good one, unlike those other ones like the "games as porn" bill!

   by xche78x - 2007-04-10
 » yeah

just make sure to impose this on MOVIES too.
TV should also have this rule because TV makes what society is nowadays. what people see on TV people do on real life. unlike video games where even the most realistic graphics are considered by gamers as JUST GAMES and just make entertainment out of it. but on TV what children/people see on news, see's them as real and sometimes immitates, so NO NO NO to anything violent, abussive and pornographic on MOVIES and TV. even if you call it expose' or anything.

   by Mister Common Sense - 2007-04-10
 » .

I love knowing my tax money goes to completely useless things. Keep it up well paid morons!



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