gamepolitics: Complete Listing of Testimony from Brownback Subcommittee

Game Politics (

gamepolitics) wrote,
@ 2006-03-31 09:06:00

Entry tags:

dmitri williams, game violence, legislation, sam brownback, senate

Complete Listing of Testimony from Brownback Subcommittee

Professor Dmitri Williams of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Chamaign was kind enough to alert GP to transcripts of witness testimony from Wednesday's Brownback subcommittee hearing. Dr. Williams expects full transcripts of the subcommittee's questioning of the various witnesses to be available in a few weeks.

Prof. Williams is the author of an influential longitudinal study which found that playing a violent online game (Asheron's Call 2) did not cause substantial increases in real-world aggression.

Meanwhile, the always-excellent Terra Nova blog, devoted to MMO issues, has a report on Prof. Williams' Senate appearance.

(18 comments) - (Post a new comment)

	Wow bayushisan 2006-03-31 05:07 pm UTC (link)
	So we actually have some evidence on our side that supports the very thing we've been saying all along? Go prof! (Reply to this)

APA's wishlist

jabrwock
2006-03-31 05:19 pm UTC (link)

Interesting to note in Dr. Elizabeth Carll's testimony that her main request was that "violence" on ESRB content descriptors be expanded, to include the type (sex-related, war, sports, or random/thrill-kill) and context (if it's negative social behavior, is it rewarded?).

Her wishlist:

-more research (specifically CAMRA)
-teach kids to be "media-smart"
-encourage the media to show some restraint when portraying negative social behavior
-develop better education for parents, mainly by improving the rating system's ability to inform the purchaser about the game's content

btw, she was the rep from the American Psychological Association.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

Re: APA's wishlist

nightwng2000
2006-03-31 06:00 pm UTC (link)

Hmmm...
Ok, the type of violence, sounds good. "Content", too judgmental at the heart of it. Plus, too detailed for a rating system. Such information can be gleamed from the box description or looking up further information on the game (magazine, internet, etc).

-If CAMRA includes ALL genre, including religious media, news media, educational media, and other forms of media that aren't directly defined as "entertainment" but can still contain violence, or at least
-theoretically- lead to aggressive emotions if not aggressive physical response, then I'll support it. But still note that it does not represent ALL stimuli an individual is exposed to throughout their lives.

-First, teach the MEDIA to be smart. Not entirly a joke either. Based on the media recently, someone hasn't learned ethical journalism (the Nintendo DS is just one of many examples).

-Does she mean the news media or video games?

-I've been thinking of another letter to write. This time to the "game lobbyist" and organizations such as the ESA, IEMA, and even the ESRB. I have an idea. And it's not a quiet one, or a cheap one. But as some have said, the grassroots efforts may be good ideas, but they are too little too late. Time for some loud, in-your-face deals to be put forth. And if the game industry really wants to fight back, it's going to have put effort into other than "the laws are unconstitutional".

nightwng2000

(Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)

Re: APA's wishlist

jabrwock
2006-03-31 06:11 pm UTC (link)

"Content", too judgmental at the heart of it.

Blockbuster movie cases used to do it. They would go into a lot of detail on context of actions, language, sex, etc. (ex: "sex: kissing - homosexual, fondling - clothed heterosexual") I don't know why they don't anymore. It was very informative.

First, teach the MEDIA to be smart.

Ain't gonna happen. ;) Best to just focus on the kids, and teach them to think critically about what they see & hear. http://www.media-awareness.ca/english/index.cfm

Does she mean the news media or video games

For reducing negative social stereotypes? She was talking about ALL media. Movies, TV, games.

(Reply to this) (Parent)

Re: APA's wishlist

residentlune
2006-03-31 06:40 pm UTC (link)

"develop better education for parents, mainly by improving the rating system's ability to inform the purchaser about the game's content"

I can think of one rather simple way the video game industry can do that.

Informative commercials.

To be honest, I don't think I've ever before seen any sort of commercial from the ESRB or other video game organization that is similar to those put out by cable companies and television groups which "teach" the viewer about the rating system. You see them often enough (or at least I do on Time Warner Cable). The extent of their information in commercials is a quick "Rated [a] for [b]" at the end of game advertisements.

(Reply to this) (Parent)

Dmitri's best quotes during his oral presentation

jabrwock
2006-03-31 05:26 pm UTC (link)

Let me explain why the laws are losing on the science. It’s because the legislators are only talking and listening to people who agree with them when in fact there is significant disagreement within academia...

Those decisions represent politics, not science. And if you read the courts’ opinions you see that the judges can tell.

It’s easy to find quotes showing that the Hardy Boys were a serious threat to young men’s moral values.

Typically we worry about the things we can easily target rather than the things that make us truly uneasy.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

	Re: Dmitri's best quotes during his oral presentation nightwng2000 2006-03-31 06:02 pm UTC (link)
	That almost deserves a "Hooah!" :) nightwng2000 (Reply to this) (Parent)

OT: Correct Yahoo! Article

mazinger_z
2006-03-31 05:46 pm UTC (link)

http://videogames.yahoo.com/newsarticle?eid=448708&page=0

Check towards the bottom... in this story and the one being referenced, it says that Jack Thompson chose to remove himself from the case (which is true, to a point). However, it neglects to make mention of the fact that Jack Thompson's motion to remove himself was denied and that Judge Moore kicked him off the case and revoked his pro hac vice.

I've already sent a Feedback post with a link the the Tuscaloosa News source referencing what really happened. (http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051119/NEWS/511190331&SearchID=73240145512260)

Sorry for making something off-topic, however I wasn't sure how else to get this out.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

	Re: OT: Correct Yahoo! Article jabrwock 2006-03-31 06:26 pm UTC (link)
	That and he vows to represent Strickland in court, which will be impossible unless he manages to appeal Judge Moore's revockation of his Pro Hac Vice. That and the "do not contact the judge or court or you will be found in contempt" order... (Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)

	Re: OT: Correct Yahoo! Article hilaryduffgta 2006-03-31 06:40 pm UTC (link)
	he will prolly threaten to sue moore or have Him arrested who knows jack's a fucking loony (Reply to this) (Parent)

	Re: OT: Correct Yahoo! Article mazinger_z 2006-03-31 07:03 pm UTC (link)
	I just find it interesting that he's doing all this. He's essentially lying to the press. =) (Reply to this) (Parent)

	Re: OT: Correct Yahoo! Article tollwutig 2006-03-31 07:33 pm UTC (link)
	Um the appeal to the Alabama Supreme Court doesn't negate the fact that Thompson is not licensed to practice law in Alabama unless given Pro Hac Vice status which Judge Moore has overturned. (Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)

	Re: OT: Correct Yahoo! Article jabrwock 2006-03-31 07:51 pm UTC (link)
	He's supposedly appealing that decision, but seeing as how immediately after getting it taken away he started threatening the Alabama Bar and Judge Moore, and accusing them of being corrupt, I don't think the appalate court will look too kindly on his request... (Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)

	Re: OT: Correct Yahoo! Article hilaryduffgta 2006-03-31 09:41 pm UTC (link)
	In which he will all call them pedophiles in the pocket book of the porn industry and then threaten them all with lawsuits and saying him and god will destory them followed by a hooah! did i get it all (Reply to this) (Parent)

	Re: OT: Correct Yahoo! Article tonyselby 2006-03-31 10:34 pm UTC (link)
	i personaly find it hilarious that he's calling the same judge who declined the motion for summery judgement (which he's seems so happy about i'm afraid he made a mess in his pants) currupt and needs to be taken off the bench.... (Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)

	Re: OT: Correct Yahoo! Article jabrwock 2006-03-31 10:41 pm UTC (link)
	i personaly find it hilarious that he's calling the same judge who declined the motion for summery judgement currupt and needs to be taken off the bench.... Yeah, odd that... (Reply to this) (Parent)

	desert_thunder 2006-04-01 05:47 am UTC (link)
	My apologies for being off-topic, but what's that arcade machine in the picture? (Reply to this)

	leper73 2006-04-02 12:06 am UTC (link)
	They should have had Gerard Jones testify. His columns and writings are excellent to show that M-rated games might actually have positive effects on children, and that the fear-mongering and assumptions are unfounded. (Reply to this)

(18 comments) - (Post a new comment)

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