The video game industry has long been criticized for violent content, most recently in the wake of the Columbine High School shootings. Now The Associated Press reports that the most recent legislative session saw lawmakers in at least seven states propose bills that restrict the sale of certain titles.
Currently being challenged in federal court is a law written by Washington State Democratic legislator Mary Lou Dickerson, which would ban the sale of some violent games to kids. Dickerson and others cite new research that may suggest strong links between violent games and aggressive behavior in children. The opposition is also fueled by the ever-improving quality of video game graphics and its ability to portray blood and gore in realistic ways.
Last year, Grand Theft Auto publisher Rockstar Games was named in a $246 million suit filed on behalf of victims of a shooting spree in Tennessee. Two teenage stepbrothers claimed that the Grand Theft Auto series inspired them to kill a motorist and wound another.
In the past, courts have upheld game publishers’ right to release questionable content under the umbrella of the First Amendment. Game makers insist that parents should be the ones deciding what games their children play, pointing to the game rating system that suggests age appropriateness and provides details of violent or otherwise mature content.
An alternative to banning is being explored by some major retailers. According to The Associated Press, chains such as Wal-Mart, Best Buy and Electronics Boutique of America plan to have a carding policy in effect by the end of 2004.
The debate over game violence is expected to heat up even more in the coming months with release of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas and Doom 3, the latest installment in a first-person shooter series frequently played by Columbine killers Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold.
