gamepolitics: CA Congressman Calls on Game Industry to Improve ESRB

Game Politics (

gamepolitics) wrote,
@ 2006-04-27 06:16:00

Entry tags:

congress, democrats, esrb, game ratings, joe baca, legislation, patricia vance

CA Congressman Calls on Game Industry to Improve ESRB

Baca's back.

Congressman Joe Baca (D-CA), long-time critic of the video game industry, has been relatively quiet over the past year while political players like Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY), California Assembly Speaker pro Tem Leland Yee (D) and Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich (D) plowed ahead with high-profile video game legislation.

But don't think Baca has given up on the video game issue.

An article in today's Press Enterprise details a Capitol Hill press conference held by Baca on Wednesday. There, Baca called for the game industry to improve the ESRB rating system.

"Parents are misled by the video-game ratings," he told reporters.

The veteran congressman believes game ratings, especially for "T" and "M"-rated games, aren't clear enough and don't provide all of the information parents need to make purchasing decisions.

Over the years, Baca has introduced a number of video game-oriented bills in the House, but none have gained any traction. His latest effort, HB1145, which would require the Federal Trade Commission to study the ESRB system for unfair or deceptive practices, has been stuck in committee for more than a year.

ESRB president Patricia Vance, reacting to Baca's comments, said, ""M-rated titles include content that parents may find inappropriate for younger players. We continue to encourage parents to regularly check the ratings to help them make educated purchase decisions, and to monitor the games that their children play."

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(321 comments) - (Post a new comment)

	grey_poet 2006-04-27 12:08 pm UTC (link)
	I can't help but wonder how Baca feels about the MPAA's system for rating movies. (Reply to this) (Thread)

	doggyspew 2006-04-27 12:18 pm UTC (link)
	Was thinking the same thing. The ESRB does a way better job then the MPAA in that respect. (Reply to this) (Parent)

(no subject) -

ss_ebonclaw, 2006-04-27 12:19 pm UTC

(no subject) -

beacon80, 2006-04-27 04:01 pm UTC

(no subject) -

toxic_offender, 2006-04-27 12:30 pm UTC

(no subject) -

anticron, 2006-04-27 12:33 pm UTC

(no subject) -

toxic_offender, 2006-04-27 12:43 pm UTC

(no subject) -

mrkenyon, 2006-04-27 01:00 pm UTC

(no subject) -

the1jeffy, 2006-04-27 01:19 pm UTC

wizards, huh -

jerrydavid, 2006-04-27 04:15 pm UTC

Re: wizards, huh -

toxic_offender, 2006-04-27 04:24 pm UTC

Re: wizards, huh -

lomdr, 2006-04-27 08:44 pm UTC

Re: wizards, huh -

toxic_offender, 2006-04-28 04:18 pm UTC

	OT: JT'S next SN startropics 2006-04-27 12:24 pm UTC (link)
	bacaisright (Reply to this) (Thread)

	Re: OT: JT'S next SN anticron 2006-04-27 12:34 pm UTC (link)
	If he wasn't so predictable in his continued violations and harassment, I'd say you were stalking the stalker. (Reply to this) (Parent)

Re: OT: JT'S next SN -

sqlrob, 2006-04-27 12:37 pm UTC

Someone hand this guy a DVD box

yukimurasanada
2006-04-27 12:25 pm UTC (link)

Lets get him on TV, hand him a Game box, a DVD box, and CD box, and see if he talks big then when faced with the reality of it. Can't aruge that the ESRB ratings are more accurate, provide more information, and now, thanks to the FTC's latest report, are being enforced at the same level as Movie theaters and much higher levels then the MPAA or the RIAA.

Sorry BACA, but as they say in Japan, your a BAKA!

(Reply to this) (Thread)

	Re: Someone hand this guy a DVD box tconx 2006-04-27 12:45 pm UTC (link)
	ばか！ (Reply to this) (Parent)

	boffo97 2006-04-27 12:26 pm UTC (link)
	If you have a little immature kid, don't buy T, M or AO games. If you have a kid that's kind of mature but may still be confused into thinking that it's more than just a game, don't buy M or AO. Plus there's some content descriptors for you. That's not misleading. If you can't get this, you're a dumbass. (Reply to this) (Thread)

	thefremen 2006-04-27 05:00 pm UTC (link)
	Tony Danza could do a psa for the esrb: "AO OA, M and AO games ain't ok for kids to play." (Reply to this) (Parent)

	anticron 2006-04-27 12:27 pm UTC (link)
	"Parents are misled by the video-game ratings," he told reporters. Wha? Only if the parents pay absolutely no attention to them, or their kids. While I don't disagree in strengthening the ESRB, these sorts of comments are simply ludicrous. Only negligent parents would have this kind of a problem. (Reply to this)

	Sigh.. here we go again- ace_ofspade 2006-04-27 12:27 pm UTC (link)
	E = G E10+ = PG T = PG13 M = R AO = NC17 (Reply to this) (Thread)

	Re: Sigh.. here we go again- the1jeffy 2006-04-27 01:21 pm UTC (link)
	I think they should just post that shit where ever video games are sold. Too bad the MPAA would fucking sue. (Reply to this) (Parent)

	ianc14 2006-04-27 12:27 pm UTC (link)
	"Parents are misled by the video-game ratings," he told reporters. So T = Teen and M = Mature is misleading? right...... I do think a fully numbered system is better, but still. (Reply to this) (Thread)

	tollwutig 2006-04-27 01:50 pm UTC (link)
	yeah but then someone would complain that if it's 16+ it has to be exactly the content THEIR 16 yr old can handle, else it's misleading. with M and T it makes it more of a parental judgement call. (Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)

(no subject) -

frankytfrank, 2006-04-27 03:13 pm UTC

	lordlundar 2006-04-27 12:29 pm UTC (link)
	I say we get that picture comparing the 2 rating systems up again and send them to him. Include the backside of GTA this time for a more accurate comparison. (Reply to this) (Thread)

	sqlrob 2006-04-27 12:38 pm UTC (link)
	Even better, include the backside of a movie too. (Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)

(no subject) -

tollwutig, 2006-04-27 01:52 pm UTC

(no subject) -

sqlrob, 2006-04-27 02:21 pm UTC

	Lifespan blitzfitness 2006-04-27 12:32 pm UTC (link)
	The bill has been stuck for a year? Isn't there a system in place that outright kills a bill for being stuck too long? (Reply to this) (Thread)

	Re: Lifespan thefremen 2006-04-27 05:05 pm UTC (link)
	Yeah but it can be re-introduced the next year with little changes. Diane Feinstein did it with what would be known as the Mohave Natl Monument act for something like 7 years before it passed. (Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)

Re: Lifespan -

blitzfitness, 2006-04-28 12:10 am UTC

Re: Lifespan -

thefremen, 2006-04-28 03:55 am UTC

Joe Baca Is Full Of Shit

beardoggx
2006-04-27 12:32 pm UTC (link)

How do you improve "the best ratings system in the entire entertainment industry"?(according to the hypocrite Lieberman)

The ESRB has done way more than what has been expected of them because of the rampant McCarthyist spacegoating by retards like Baca, Jack Thompson, Hillary Clinton, etc.

The ratings are clear enough, and anyone who says otherwise is nitpicking, like the Harvard idiots, especially considering that the ESRB system is almost identical to the MPAA, and if these groups of brain-damaged parents would realize that the ESRB's M = MPAA's R, T = PG-13, E-10 = PG, E = G, there wouldn't be any "confusion".

(Reply to this) (Thread)

	Re: Joe Baca Is Full Of Shit the1jeffy 2006-04-27 01:29 pm UTC (link)
	....is nitpicking, like the Harvard idiots, I agree fully with this statement, and would like to subscribe to your newletter, or pamphlet, if it is exists. Thank you. (Reply to this) (Parent)

Re: Joe Baca Is Full Of Shit -

tollwutig, 2006-04-27 01:56 pm UTC

Re: Joe Baca Is Full Of Shit -

the1jeffy, 2006-04-27 03:00 pm UTC

Re: Joe Baca Is Full Of Shit -

tollwutig, 2006-04-27 03:10 pm UTC

Re: Joe Baca Is Full Of Shit -

tollwutig, 2006-04-27 03:13 pm UTC

Re: Joe Baca Is Full Of Shit -

the1jeffy, 2006-04-27 04:29 pm UTC

Re: Joe Baca Is Full Of Shit -

beardoggx, 2006-04-28 02:36 am UTC

Re: Joe Baca Is Full Of Shit -

faganmobius, 2006-04-27 03:02 pm UTC

Re: Joe Baca Is Full Of Shit -

trencher, 2006-04-27 08:45 pm UTC

Re: Joe Baca Is Full Of Shit -

turbinerocks, 2006-04-27 02:20 pm UTC

Re: Joe Baca Is Full Of Shit -

hiraghm, 2006-04-27 05:32 pm UTC

Re: Joe Baca Is Full Of Shit -

beardoggx, 2006-04-28 02:56 am UTC

Re: Joe Baca Is Full Of Shit -

hiraghm, 2006-04-29 04:50 pm UTC

	umbravulpis 2006-04-27 12:40 pm UTC (link)
	"M-rated titles include content that parents may find inappropriate for younger players." You know, I think that just might be why they are rated M and not E or T. (Reply to this)

Not clear enough?

nightwng2000
2006-04-27 12:58 pm UTC (link)

Um...
Let's see.
There's this big Flash Card letter on the box for a ultra fast summary.

Then, also on the box, are short descriptors such as "violence", "blood", "animated violence", "sex", "nudity", and many others.

Also, on most boxes, is a short description of the game.

Also on the box are websites, both for the ESRB and for the publisher. At least in most cases.

Uh, what the hades more does this baffoon want on the box? A copy of Dick and Jane so the person can learn to read in the first place?

"Dumbass!" - Kitty Foreman to Eric Foreman.

nightwng2000

(Reply to this) (Thread)

Re: Not clear enough?

rol34
2006-04-28 10:34 am UTC (link)

now wait a sec, if my mom can grill me on what a T or M game is about, make me pull up a review on the internet for her to read, go to the store with me, then grill the poor sales clerk on it's content (bless those patient gamestop people) then finally decide to let me have sands of time, it's not that frickin hard to do a small check on a game. just... not at my mom's tenacity. cause that's embarassing. >_<

but yeah, most parents are just frickin BLIND when they buy those games or they just don't wanna deal with thier kids' whining. I don't mind Mr. Baca here cause all he really talks about is ratings, but how effective can a rating be when a parent is too lazy to put their foot down at their whiny 10-12 year old?

(Reply to this) (Parent)

te_alana
2006-04-27 12:58 pm UTC (link)

How much clearer does the ESRB need to be? It says a rating. M 17+. It then includes content descriptors, such as Violence, Blood and Gore, Strong Language, Stonge Sexual content. Then it says visitn www.esrb.org or call 1-800-771-3772 for Rating Information. I took that off of a GTA:Vice City box. It seems pretty clear to me. If the parents miss this rating, which is clearly visible on both the front and back of the games, and miss the descriptors, AND miss the names of the titles they are buying (most M-rated titles have clues in the name as to the content. Not all, but most. Manhunt, 25 to Life, Grand Theft Auto...etc....etc.) then they are usually just LAZY.

(Reply to this)

	"Citing a recent study out of Harvard Univeristy... skemodan 2006-04-27 01:28 pm UTC (link)
	Senator bobblehead said that the ESRB, an association put into place due to a government subpoena, was the main cause of teen pregnancies, child molestation, and hippies." GET OVER IT! (Reply to this)

Here we go again...

bigman_k
2006-04-27 01:29 pm UTC (link)

Compare the ESRB rating system to the MPAA rating system:

1. Nearly all games have an ESRB rating. Not all movies have a MPAA rating, many are unrated.
2. The ESRB rating is on the front and back of the game box, it's fricken' huge, it says Mature 17+ right on it, and it has content desriptors it big black letter telling you why the game is rated that way. The MPAA ratings are usually only about a millimeter sized cubed on the far right or left hand side of the back of the DVD/video and many times don't tell you why it is rated that way.

This all comes down to parenting, maybe five years ago i could understand some parents not knowing about the ESRB rating system but damn well every parent out there should know about it by now. I think the fact is if a parent buys their young kid an M rated games it's not because they don't know it may be innappropriate for their son, it's that they don't care or feel their child is mature enough to play it.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

Re: Here we go again...

beacon80
2006-04-27 04:22 pm UTC (link)

Don't forget that any retailer in the... well, I'm not sure what to call them at this junction because of the merger, but anyway, all of their retailers have signs explaining what the ratings mean (and more importantly, pointing out that they exist). Not to mention EB (and I'm sure many other retailers) run an add talking about the ESRB system on their in-store televisions.
Honestly, what more do they want the ESRB to do? If a parent is actually paying attention, and shows the slightest interest in monitoring what their child buys/plays, they're gonna notice the ESRB. If they can't even see that, they're looking for someone else to make their decisions for them, and nothing the ESRB does will be good enough to get through to them.

(Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)

Re: Here we go again... -

bigman_k, 2006-04-28 01:57 am UTC

	kurisu7885 2006-04-27 01:48 pm UTC (link)
	ANyone notice how his last name, Baca, sounds a bit similar to Baka, the japanese word for stupid? (Reply to this) (Thread)

jindewinter
2006-04-27 01:53 pm UTC (link)

Well it does fit, this guys is a total fucking moron and has very little factual information most of the time he speaks. He is more of the "Scare tatic" Politican than anything else. his comments prove he has never once looked at a game's case and read the ESRB rating on the front of the game and what the list of what the game contains on the back of the box. He is using "Facts" that all the other anti-gamers out there are using

(Reply to this) (Parent)

(no subject) -

skemodan, 2006-04-27 02:06 pm UTC

(no subject) -

toxic_offender, 2006-04-27 04:30 pm UTC

(no subject) -

kurisu7885, 2006-04-27 04:50 pm UTC

turbinerocks
2006-04-27 02:19 pm UTC (link)

Yes, because of all the anti-competitive and deceptive business practices in 21st century American industry that require close scrutiny, THE ESRB IS AT THE TOP OF THE LIST.

I wonder if Congressman Baca gets a free bottle of lube from Citi every session. I guess it must suck to be the minority party, you gotta start making shit up like this because Republicans will let nothing real get past committee.

(Reply to this)

The Thompson Effect

tollwutig
2006-04-27 02:20 pm UTC (link)

I've notice a trend on GP forums recently. I am calling it the Thompson Effect and it is not in any way a good thing. It is becoming more and more apparent that Jack Thompson is getting what he wants, he has degraded this side of the debate at least on this to a level of immature name calling.

This forum is no longer looking at the debate logically. Anytime anyone does something that the majority of the forum disagrees with it almost imeditately results in an amount of name calling.
Non Thompson Examples:
Yesterday's article about the Mom who protested a movie theatre with violent games in the lobby. She was called "bitch" almost immediately.
The Harvard researchers who did a study which did find that the ESRB does miss some content descriptors on T and M games are referred to as "nitpicking idiots"
Almost every Senator is described as a Moron if they are in on any form of Video Game legistlation.

Look at your comments people you're no longer debating the issue you're jumping on the "bash anyone who opposes you" bandwagon. It is becoming more and more severe and really degrading the level of debate on this forum.

By continuing to do this you all are only proving Thompson correct in his summation of gamers, and lending support to Video Game Critics.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

Re: The Thompson Effect

skemodan
2006-04-27 02:34 pm UTC (link)

I object. I'm MUCH more poignant with my insults. Hell, I think I'm the ONLY person here who called Jack Thompson a "cur".

Aside from insults, I, and many other people here, don't immediately jump on the opportunity to insult someone.

However, I do see a growing number of people who WILL sink to Jack's level and use any positive article as a plaform against Jack, even if the article has nothing to do with him or his antics. He does the same thing people. Like trying to use that article where the dad shot his son's computer against us when it was in no way pertinent to his platform.

The intellectual debate still lives here...it's just in rare-form.

Perhaps when Dennis gets moving on that new layout he promised us, and we can assure ourselves that Jack will NOT be returning, we can all settle down and enjoy a lively discussion in a more intellectual and mature manner.

Huazzah!

	ESRB Calls on CA Congressman to Improve his Eyesight startropics 2006-04-27 02:41 pm UTC (link)
	If the ESRB got any more descriptive, this is what the warning on Final Fantasy VII would look like: (Reply to this) (Thread)

	Re: ESRB Calls on CA Congressman to Improve his Eyesight tollwutig 2006-04-27 02:43 pm UTC (link)
	Nah that's not descriptive enough (Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)

	xlorep_darkhelm 2006-04-27 03:27 pm UTC (link)
	Wow. I never knew that Mature, or M rated games (amazing, the letters actually stand for the rating's name!) could contain content that parents may find inappropriate for younger players. I mean, I thought "M" rated games, just like "R" rated movies were completely acceptable for kids of all ages. (Reply to this) (Thread)

	startropics 2006-04-27 03:34 pm UTC (link)
	I know! I had no idea that the M-rated Resident Evil 4 contained blood, gore, decapitations and swearing! Oh wait. (Reply to this) (Parent)

	Re: Waste of effort catch_33 2006-04-27 03:54 pm UTC (link)
	...all in the name of getting people who don't know any better to vote for him. The politics game sucks, and I think that's about the only one us gamers will ever be unanimous on. (Reply to this) (Parent)

	Re: Let's Arrest Patricia Vance for... l0que 2006-04-27 04:11 pm UTC (link)
	Wrong, wrong, and wrong again. If that was the case, why have an ESRB? They just don't want loons like you regulating something that already is. You can regulate the video game industry the second the movie, music, and book industry is. (Reply to this) (Parent)

	The only conceivable reason Jack Thompson cannot see the usefulness of the ESRB ratings. startropics 2006-04-27 04:14 pm UTC (link)
	He's blind in both eyes. (Reply to this)

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