Chad
04-11-2004, 05:52 AM
If you live in CA, please take a moment to read this and write a letter or email to your representative. This is important and could affect the future of the video game industry and our ability to innovate. Thank you for taking time to help prevent censorship.
** Action required before April 13th **
I am writing to alert you to legislation (AB 1792 and AB 1793) that would
harm the video game industry in the state of California and have potential
negative repercussions across the entire industry. Your help is needed to
stop this legislation, which will be considered in General Assembly very
shortly.
These bills treat video games differently from other forms of media. AB
1792 prohibits the sale or rental of video games to minors that contain
violent material by reclassifying games as "harmful substances" such as
alcohol and tobaco. AB 1793 mandates unwieldy segregation rules for
retailers to display games based on ratings issued by the Entertainment
Software Rating Board (ESRB). These bills are a misdirected attempt at
placing the government, instead of parents, in charge of what games they
buy for their families.
Full details on AB 1792 and AB 1793 can be found at the California State
Legislature website:
http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/postquery?bill_number=ab_1792&sess=CUR&house=B&author=yee
http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/postquery?bill_number=ab_1793&sess=CUR&house=B&author=yee
These bills would frustrate new major efforts undertaken by our industry
and retailers to voluntarily increase awareness of the game rating system
and prevent the sale of M (Mature) rated games to kids under 17. And, the
bills do not reflect the fact that over 80% of all game are purchased by
adults, and that the average age of game players is 25+ years.
Furthermore, some retailers have stated that they would feel they do not
have any other choice but to stop carrying all video games rated M or AO
rather than risk non-compliance with government regulations before they
have even had a chance to fully implement the industry's voluntary program.
The IGDA firmly believes that games are a medium of expression that should
receive the same level of respect, and protection, as other forms of art
and entertainment. These bill are one more step on the slippery slope of
government regulation, oversight and control over our creative endeavors.
Here is how you can help stop this legislation. The Arts and Entertainment
Committee will be considering these bills on April 13th and the Public
Safety Committee will be considering them soon after. If you reside in the
district of one of these Committees' members, it is imperative that you
email or fax him/her as soon as possible to urge a vote against this
legislation.
A draft letter that you can modify and send is available at the IGDA site:
http://www.igda.org/censorship/CA_letter.php
As well as a list of the members of both Committees:
http://www.igda.org/censorship/CA_reps.php
If you do not know who your reps are, you can cross check online first:
http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/yourleg.html
Please grab the letter, tweak it as you see fit and send it off to the
appropriate Committee member (ie, the one from the district you are in).
Please copy me on your email or letter.
These bills are unnecessary and unworkable and would unfairly single out
video games. Lawmakers should refrain from damaging an industry that is so
critical to the Californian economy and discourage our positive voluntary
efforts to address the issues that policymakers have been demanding. Thanks
for your consideration of this request. If you have any questions, please
let me know.
Some additional background info links:
Reference: Anti-Censorship Key Points
http://www.igda.org/censorship/points.php
Letter: IGDA opposition letter to Leland Yee
http://www.igda.org/censorship/IGDA_letter-to-Yee_200402.pdf
Article: Regulation Is Everyone's Business
http://www.igda.org/articles/dellarocca_regulation.php
Article: Violent video games under fire in Assembly
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2004/04/05/BAGSB60LTD1.DTL
Article: Video games spark debate, legislation
http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/7832112.htm
Interview: Leland Y. Yee Interview at HomeLan
http://www.homelanfed.com/index.php?id=19058
** Action required before April 13th **
I am writing to alert you to legislation (AB 1792 and AB 1793) that would
harm the video game industry in the state of California and have potential
negative repercussions across the entire industry. Your help is needed to
stop this legislation, which will be considered in General Assembly very
shortly.
These bills treat video games differently from other forms of media. AB
1792 prohibits the sale or rental of video games to minors that contain
violent material by reclassifying games as "harmful substances" such as
alcohol and tobaco. AB 1793 mandates unwieldy segregation rules for
retailers to display games based on ratings issued by the Entertainment
Software Rating Board (ESRB). These bills are a misdirected attempt at
placing the government, instead of parents, in charge of what games they
buy for their families.
Full details on AB 1792 and AB 1793 can be found at the California State
Legislature website:
http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/postquery?bill_number=ab_1792&sess=CUR&house=B&author=yee
http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/postquery?bill_number=ab_1793&sess=CUR&house=B&author=yee
These bills would frustrate new major efforts undertaken by our industry
and retailers to voluntarily increase awareness of the game rating system
and prevent the sale of M (Mature) rated games to kids under 17. And, the
bills do not reflect the fact that over 80% of all game are purchased by
adults, and that the average age of game players is 25+ years.
Furthermore, some retailers have stated that they would feel they do not
have any other choice but to stop carrying all video games rated M or AO
rather than risk non-compliance with government regulations before they
have even had a chance to fully implement the industry's voluntary program.
The IGDA firmly believes that games are a medium of expression that should
receive the same level of respect, and protection, as other forms of art
and entertainment. These bill are one more step on the slippery slope of
government regulation, oversight and control over our creative endeavors.
Here is how you can help stop this legislation. The Arts and Entertainment
Committee will be considering these bills on April 13th and the Public
Safety Committee will be considering them soon after. If you reside in the
district of one of these Committees' members, it is imperative that you
email or fax him/her as soon as possible to urge a vote against this
legislation.
A draft letter that you can modify and send is available at the IGDA site:
http://www.igda.org/censorship/CA_letter.php
As well as a list of the members of both Committees:
http://www.igda.org/censorship/CA_reps.php
If you do not know who your reps are, you can cross check online first:
http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/yourleg.html
Please grab the letter, tweak it as you see fit and send it off to the
appropriate Committee member (ie, the one from the district you are in).
Please copy me on your email or letter.
These bills are unnecessary and unworkable and would unfairly single out
video games. Lawmakers should refrain from damaging an industry that is so
critical to the Californian economy and discourage our positive voluntary
efforts to address the issues that policymakers have been demanding. Thanks
for your consideration of this request. If you have any questions, please
let me know.
Some additional background info links:
Reference: Anti-Censorship Key Points
http://www.igda.org/censorship/points.php
Letter: IGDA opposition letter to Leland Yee
http://www.igda.org/censorship/IGDA_letter-to-Yee_200402.pdf
Article: Regulation Is Everyone's Business
http://www.igda.org/articles/dellarocca_regulation.php
Article: Violent video games under fire in Assembly
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2004/04/05/BAGSB60LTD1.DTL
Article: Video games spark debate, legislation
http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/7832112.htm
Interview: Leland Y. Yee Interview at HomeLan
http://www.homelanfed.com/index.php?id=19058