Clinton/Lieberman To Introduce Video Game Act News

US Senators Hilary Clinton and Joe Lieberman are to introduce their Family Entertainment Protection Act to the Senate when the body reconvenes in a fortnights time. If passed, the Act, a response by the two Democrats to the Hot Coffee scandal earlier in the year, will prohibit the sale of Mature and Adult Only ESRB games to under 17 year olds.

The Act will also ensure that the ESRB system undergoes an annual independent analysis so that content is accurately rated, as well as allowing the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to execute random retailer audits â?“ so-called mystery shoppers â?“ to discover how easy it is for minors to purchase mature titles. A recent survey announced that 42% of boys under the age of 17 had been able to purchase M for Mature rated games. The Act would extend the powers of the FTC to investigate misleading ratings on titles to discover how inherent the problem actually is.

â??I have developed legislation that will empower parents by making sure their kids canâ??t walk into a store and buy a video game that has graphic, violent and pornographic content,â? said Senator Clinton. Reiterating that the bill wasnâ??t about curbing or censoring violence or mature themes in games, Clinton went to say, â??This is about protecting children.â?

â??There is a growing body of evidence that points to a link between violent videos and aggressive behavior in children. We are not interested in censoring videos meant for adult entertainment but we do want to ensure that these videos are not purchased by minors. Our bill will help accomplish this by imposing fines on those retailers that sell M-rated games to minors,â? Senator Lieberman said.

The Act is the first federal-wide law to be put forward to prevent the sale of Mature rated games to minors, and follows State laws already passed in California, Michigan, and Illinois.

Weâ??ll have more news shortlyâ?¦