Game Ratings Bill Becomes New York Law
Taking effect in 2010, the law further requires that "new video game consoles" include "parental lockout features"--something already offered by the current crop of consoles--and that games sold at retail display an Entertainment Software Rating Board content label on their packaging.
At present, most retailers in the United States refuse to stock a game if it does not carry an ESRB content rating on the box. The ESRB and Entertainment Software Association have yet to respond to the news.
Past game-related legislation have used intentionally vague language and attempted to establish its own guidelines instead of embracing those established by the industry, typically resulting in laws that were later found to be unconstitutional.
The bill marks the more conservative of the two pitched to the New York Senate last year. The other would have classified sales of games containing "depraved violence and indecent images" to minors as a class E felonies, and drew industry opposition.
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distauma
replySoooo basically they just said continue business as usual...
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Basically.
It provides government intrusion on an issue that doesn't need, creating even more wasted tax dollars, legislating what is already occurring naturally in the marketplace.
There are two core reasons for these Luddite politicians to pass policies like this. One, pour money into pointless committees and organizations that will primarily benefit their friends and donors. Two, pander to voters who think the politicians "get" their concerns, rather than politicians who tell parents to do their damn job and raise their own children.
That's the short of it. There is absolutely no benefit from these laws, except to the politicians passing them. I find it hard to fault Paterson too much for this, as he basically just took over the governorship after Spitzer killed his own career, as refusing to sign this when the state government had already approved it wouldn't exactly play well. But once again, this will probably waste a year or two in the courts, then get thrown out as unconstitutional (At least the bit about mandating the ESRB ratings).
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A law force people to do ... what they already did. BRILLIANT!
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You can't fault the governor, he can't even see the game boxes, let alone the teeny little ratings placard. :P
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