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He's high-profile, ambitious, and definitely not afraid to pursue indictments, issue subpoenas and drag corporations into court. He's Eliot Spitzer, New York's Attorney General. He's also the state's leading candidate for governor in November.
And - just this morning - the Democrat went on record as being in favor of two of the video game industry's recurring nightmares: retail legislation as well as a universal rating system for all media.
Spitzer spoke at the Buffalo-Niagara YMCA, spending much of his time talking about corporate responsibility in marketing to children. Although he also hit on tobacco usage, gun availability and junk food, a good part of Spitzer's speech was directed at media influence. He clearly fired a shot across the bow of the video game industry. His remarks, in part:
"Like all parents, I know it is increasingly difficult to protect our children from negative influences. Parents and schools need the government's help in curbing irresponsible behavior by corporations that market harmful products to our kids."
"...today I want to talk about a different kind of 'corporate responsibility,' one that does not get nearly the attention it deserves: that is a responsibility for corporations to stop treating our children as fair game for products that cause them great harm. And if corporations fail to live up to that responsibility it is vital that government step in..."
"...self-regulation doesn't always work... we have learned that when self-regulation fails, government must step in... these two lessons have informed my actions as Attorney General and they will inform my actions as Governor. Today, I would like to lay out a strategy to ensure we start defining deviancy up instead of down, to make sure our children are not left to be mere prey in a race to the lowest common denominator. "
"...we must do more to protect our children from excessive sex and violence in the media... Many children spend more time interacting with media - whether it be television, radio, video games or the Internet - than they do in school or with their parents."
"...media content has gotten more graphic, more violent and more sex-based... And it is not just television anymore. We now have to deal with video games, the Internet and a proliferation of other media that have made our jobs as parents even more challenging."
"The effects of media's influence on our children have been well documented. The American Academy of Pediatrics has said that 'Playing violent video games is to adolescent's violent behavior what smoking is to lung cancer...' Industry leaders must confront the failure of self-regulation... As Senator Clinton has urged, industry leaders like the... the (ESRB) for videogames... should come together to set uniform rating standards across all forms of media. Currently, we have an incomprehensible web of different rating systems that are inconsistently applied. A uniform rating system would make it easier for parents..."
"While we wait for these organizations to take action, New York State must take matters into its own hands. We should follow the lead of states like California, Illinois and Michigan and pass 'Safe Games' legislation, which would ban the sale and rental of violent and sexually explicit video games to children under 18. The (ESRB) does have a rating system that warns consumers of content unsuitable for children, but it's often ignored. Laws protecting underage kids from harmful products are nothing new – laws preventing kids from buying cigarettes serve as just one example. But currently, nothing under New York State law prohibits a fourteen-year old from walking into a video store and buying a game labeled 'Adult Only' - a game like 'Grand Theft Auto,' which rewards a player for stealing cars and beating people up. Children can even simulate having sex with a prostitute and then killing her."
"'Safe Games' legislation should also require retailers to post signs explaining the video game rating system to customers. Democrats and Republicans both have bills that would address these problems, but they have gone nowhere. It is time to make this a priority."
GP: Aside from Hillary Clinton, Spitzer just might be the highest-profile politician to jump into this fight. This is definitely not good news for the video game industry. We've asked the ESA and ESRB for reaction, and will publish those as they are received.
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April 28 2006, 16:22:37 UTC 6 years ago
Wow, that's like, slander? Or at least a lie.
April 28 2006, 17:05:35 UTC 6 years ago
Oh wait... lawyers are currently, according to recent studies by Stanford, UBC and Yale, the least-trustworthy people in the world given a general occupation. And lawyers get elected as politicians. How wonderful life is...
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April 28 2006, 16:23:01 UTC 6 years ago
I'm not really sure burning $660,000 of the taxpayer's money is such a wise thing to trumpet.
April 28 2006, 17:06:29 UTC 6 years ago
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April 28 2006, 16:23:31 UTC 6 years ago
This is the silliest comparison ever.
April 28 2006, 16:25:17 UTC 6 years ago
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April 28 2006, 16:25:08 UTC 6 years ago
'Playing violent video games is to adolescent's violent behavior what smoking is to lung cancer...'
Huh?
'We should follow the lead of states like California, Illinois and Michigan and pass 'Safe Games' legislation'
They passed them, sure, then they got ruled unconstitutional.
This man is the Attorney General of New York and isn't aware of this? I'm a UK citizen and I am....
That's more than a little worrying.
April 28 2006, 16:57:15 UTC 6 years ago
Actually, there is probably a good chance that he is aware of this. The thing is I can guarantee you that a vast majority of New York's voting populace is not aware of this. He is simply preying on the general lack of awareness of the average American voter.
No one in New York, save for a handful (including GP members), cares about legislation in Illinois, Indiana, and especially California (We are all considered to be a collective of "Fruits" and "Nuts" out here), much less legislation concerning video games.
What he is saying is not un-true, it is just not the whole truth, and I am sure he knows it.
April 28 2006, 16:25:10 UTC 6 years ago
"It is vital that government step in..." <----This is almost never true. And especially not in this case.
April 28 2006, 17:09:00 UTC 6 years ago
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April 28 2006, 16:25:19 UTC 6 years ago
Damn you...
Damn you Rockstar North, Rockstar Leeds, Rockstar San Diego, Rockstar Toronto, Rockstar Vancouver, Rockstar London, Rockstar Vienna, Rockstar Lincoln, and Take-Two. This is all your fault. Nobody cared before Hot Coffee, and you opened the doors right open for this. Bully is the last game I'm buying from you, maybe.April 28 2006, 16:52:54 UTC 6 years ago
Why is it Rockstar's fault?
Why isn't it the fault of the puritanical attitudes of the politicians and soccer moms?6 years ago
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April 28 2006, 16:28:13 UTC 6 years ago
So to deal with this, instead of punishing parents, we'll punish the industry. Damn you for not forcing parents to pay attention! Damn yooooooooou!
On another note, since R-rated DVDs are sold to children more often than M-rated games, where's the "safe movies" legislation? Clearly the MPAA is targetting minors with R-rated movies... and their enforcement is attrocious compared to the ESRB.
April 28 2006, 16:30:28 UTC 6 years ago
April 28 2006, 16:31:14 UTC 6 years ago
Urge to kill raising....
I'm so damn sick and tired of this "protect the children" bullshit. I've said it before and i'll say it again, Children neither need nor want your "so-called" protection. Anyways, it's not violent media that makes me violent, it censormongering nanny state politicans such as this guy that make me want to commit act of violence.April 28 2006, 17:13:04 UTC 6 years ago
Re: Urge to kill raising....
The thing I hate is being accused of NOT thinking of the children when I most certainly am. I'm thinking of them when they start asking why they are being treated like mindless, second-class citizens.Sorry Billy. Some guy you have, nor will ever meet thinks you don't understand the world. Because of this, you can't see the world until you can vote. At this point, this same guy, wanting you to vote for him, will then tell you about how you now must protect the children in the same way he "protected" you. If you don't protect the children, then the terrorist win. You don't know about terrorist though because we protected you.
April 28 2006, 16:35:51 UTC 6 years ago
Canwest Gazette quote:
Parents who play: Video game generation comes of ageRen Reynolds, a contributor to Terranova, an online collective of academics, said parents who don't feel comfortable with video games are less likely to monitor what games their children are playing than parents who play themselves.
"A lot of parents still don't understand technology. They are techno-phobic," he said. Such parents often adopt a hands-off approach to their children's gaming, he said.
"What I see happening a lot is well-meaning and well-educated parents giving (an adult game) to a 12-year-old. Would they give hardcore porn to a child?"
Parents should set limits on which games their children are allowed to play, he said. "If it says an age on a video game, it means that. Read the label."
April 28 2006, 19:25:58 UTC 6 years ago
Re: Canwest Gazette quote:
I don't understand why parents that around my age, are techno-phobic. Isn't it so that the parents of today, were children during the late 70s and early 80s? It was the time of Atari, Commodore 64, Nintendo. I don't understand why these parents are techno-phobic. I do remember that when I was in college that some students thought that gaming was childish though. This was around the time that Microsoft finally started to notice the power of the world wide web.April 28 2006, 16:37:02 UTC 6 years ago
Nonetheless, this is simple political maneuvering in a race to become governor. It’s a pandering appeal for votes, and we have the Constitution on our side.
April 28 2006, 16:42:48 UTC 6 years ago
April 28 2006, 16:37:54 UTC 6 years ago
aha!
He's also the state's leading candidate for governor in November.That explains it. If he doesn't criticize "evil" media, then his opponent will, and he'll look bad.
I almost wish that they had a universal system, then when it doesn't work, because parents are still ignoring it because "games are just for kids", THEN what will he say?
April 28 2006, 17:34:48 UTC 6 years ago
Re: aha!
Thats the 1st thing I saw so my BS meter went to max...Funny cause as I was reading it I noticed he was jumping from one blame to another.
Its the industry! NO ITS THE PARENTS! NO ITS THE INDUSTRY!...
Really?
April 28 2006, 16:40:01 UTC 6 years ago
Odd
OK, so he thinks messages in games, TV, radio, books, internet etc are all harmful.So he is going to legislate against video games.
That's it.
Any thoughts?
April 28 2006, 19:33:18 UTC 6 years ago
Re: Odd
TV is a slow process, and is pretty hard to prevent most, but parents know what to and what not to watch. For the most part anyways.Radio...well radio, not many listen to a lot. It's more of a car thing to me. Kids listen to it at home when they don't have CD's or actual music to listen to.
Books, well the kid would have to have an idea of what things are before actually reading it to understand.
Internet...HA. They have age checks and basically verbal agreements in which if you agree to proceed, you are accepting terms of which to see their content. Basically helping them avoid trouble and lawsuits.
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April 28 2006, 16:41:31 UTC 6 years ago
corporations that market harmful products to our kids."
You fail right there.
Parents need to do their job or not have kids in the first place.
Stop scapegoating and stop advocating a nanny state.
April 28 2006, 16:41:58 UTC 6 years ago
Election years.
It's really very unfortuante that politicians feel the need to sling about things like this. On one hand, if they don't support it, they're labelled "family haters" and won't get (re-)elected; on the other hand, if they do support it, they know they'll be wasting a whole lot of taxpayer dollars on something that is unconstitutional.The system is horribly, horribly broken.
Instead of representing their potential (or continuing) constituents like they should, they are only representing themselves.
April 28 2006, 16:48:04 UTC 6 years ago
April 28 2006, 16:54:03 UTC 6 years ago
Oh god.....
he practically sounds like Jack.April 28 2006, 17:36:36 UTC 6 years ago
Re: Oh god.....
Noo...Jack has a more 'direct' message.
This guy is a little more offkey and missing his target.
April 28 2006, 16:56:20 UTC 6 years ago
Jeeze
Maybe someone should keep a running tab of how much money they've wasted. Where was it that I read that the ESA was suing a state because of wasted money?April 28 2006, 17:35:14 UTC 6 years ago
Re: Jeeze
Illinois, and they won about $800k in legal costs.April 28 2006, 17:08:29 UTC 6 years ago
Awesome.
Yes, this is awesome.Why is it awesome you ask?
Because I live in NY, and now I have a chance to do something.
I can vote against this schmuck.
April 28 2006, 17:37:41 UTC 6 years ago
Re: Awesome.
Get your friends do it also, and their friends/family/friends also.April 28 2006, 17:10:22 UTC 6 years ago
The real reason why he wants to "Save the Children"
"He's also the state's leading candidate for governor> in November."Need we say more?
April 28 2006, 17:13:00 UTC 6 years ago
Is it election time again?
I figured.6 years ago
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April 28 2006, 17:15:03 UTC 6 years ago
AOGTABBQ?
Putting aside the fact the writer of the article is either a complete idiot/liar, as GTA isn't and hasn't been rated AO (save for a month or two last year)... A kid can't walk into a store and buy an AO game because virtually no retailers carry them to begin with. The real AO games don't reward players for violence either, since they're all basically porn games.
The bit about how NY should follow in the footsteps of states that have wasted millions of dollars on unconstitutional laws is priceless though. :P
April 28 2006, 17:25:38 UTC 6 years ago
Well Aint that Grant
While this is happening alot its not like any of us should be suprised. Its an election year and every seneatoral canidate or any other canidate loves to court that family values vote. But at the same time there are limits. They will court the vote but not to the point where it will piss off those that pay for all there nasty attack ads. Thus why we don't see targeting of alcohal or smoking or TV or the RIAA so mcuh. Everyone knows how powerful all those lobbying groups are.At the same time the "Family Values" vote is something thats complicated to get. Gun safety is a prime example of this. Look in the early to mid 90s when all those gun control bills were passed. Some of the senators and representaives who got them passed faced a backlash because that vote for the children also was the vote that the NRA had a nice hold on.
All in all this election will be interesting to see what effect the VGVN will have. This being a midterm election with so many seats in a republician controled senate up for grabs may force some disloyality in the vote. I for one plan to vote heavily democrate not always because I believe that they will more often vote acording to what I would like but because I think the system as a whole works better when one party does not control all the branches. Those votes may go against the my views should be the final police on media their children view and the government should stay out.
So long story short. This may not be the election year where the VGVN manages to unite the video game vote in to a nice block of 5 million plus votes nationally with about 100 thousdand per state creating a block of votes that while may not win you the election could definatly hurt you. That block of votes could probably force alot of politicians to actually read the studies rather then just the headlines, and if they decide to inact laws that they are less sensational.
April 28 2006, 17:27:31 UTC 6 years ago
Alright, that's it, I've had enough.
I am officially sick and tired of daily seeing my hobby torn apart as the new problem in America by complete morons like Spitzer and Jack Thompson. This shit seriously needs to come to an end. I hope someone from the ESA is at E3 that I can talk to about this. I'm also going to start posting about local legislation happenings on my website when possible to alert others and spread the word about the VGVN at Howie's Game Shack, my second job (http://www.howies.com/).My fellow Pixelantes, I believe it is time we mobilized like never before. I've been lazy about it, but now I'm taking a fucking stand. I'm not going to let these idiot politicians step in and make these ridiculous, tax dollar wasting laws when the money could be put to educating parents about the best ratings system in the country.
Oh, and Yack, if you read this, I think you need to run back home to Floriduh and hide underneath a rock. Your appearance on Kansas TV pretty much DID seal your fate. Looking forward to seeing you disbarred,
~ Sean "Lord Phoenix" Lane ~
Webmaster, Founder
Planet Mega Man
http://www.planet-megaman.com/
April 28 2006, 17:40:02 UTC 6 years ago
Re: Alright, that's it, I've had enough.
OMG... Your the holy god of planet megaman...I've been going there for a good 2/3 years now.
^_^
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April 28 2006, 17:36:04 UTC 6 years ago
hmmm
does anyone else remember jack emailing spitzer?"Like all parents, I know it is increasingly difficult to protect our children from negative influences. Parents and schools need the government's help in curbing irresponsible behavior by
corporations that market harmful products to our kids."
that's why the ESRB exists. so the PARENTS can DO THEIR JOB
"...self-regulation doesn't always work... we have learned that when self-regulation fails, government must step in... these two lessons have informed my actions as Attorney General and they will inform my actions as Governor. Today, I would like to lay out a strategy to ensure we start defining deviancy up instead of down, to make sure our children are not left to be mere prey in a race to the lowest common denominator. "
tell the self-regulation spiel to the MPAA. your getting a bit pompous to assume that you are going to be elected as governor. Children never have been, are not, and most likely never will be "mere prey in a race to the lowest common denominator" as they are the future people. I know that sounded corny and such, but it's true.
"...we must do more to protect our children from excessive sex and violence in the media... Many children spend more time interacting with media – whether it be television, radio, video games or the Internet - than they do in school or with their parents."
it's already being done, oh wait, I forgot how censored an environment the USA is! seriously. there is no big conspiracy. perhaps i parents did their jobs then the kids wouldn't be playing so many videogames!
"...media content has gotten more graphic, more violent and more sex-based... And it is not just television anymore. We now have to deal with video games, the Internet and a proliferation of other media that have made our jobs as parents even more challenging."
and for good reason. because at the same time, the world is getting more graphic too. if you want your children to grow up all protected and their naivety remaining untouched, fine. but when they get screwed over, I'm blaming you.
"While we wait for these organizations to take action, New York State must take matters into its own hands. We should follow the lead of states like California, Illinois and Michigan and pass 'Safe Games' legislation, which would ban the sale and rental of violent and sexually explicit video games to children under 18. The Entertainment Software Rating Board does have a rating system that warns consumers of content unsuitable for children, but it's often ignored. Laws protecting underage kids from harmful products are nothing new – laws preventing kids from buying cigarettes serve as just one example. But currently, nothing under New York State law prohibits a fourteen-year old from walking into a video store and buying a game labeled 'Adult Only' - a game like 'Grand Theft Auto,' which rewards a player for stealing cars and beating people up. Children can even simulate having sex with a prostitute and then killing her."
guess what? the enforcement of those laws? not happened. if it's IGNORED, that's the PARENT'S FAULT! and there is currently something that prevents a 14-year-old from getting an AO game, that being that most places don't carry AO games. show me a place that sells AO games and I'll show you a porn shop.
"'Safe Games' legislation should also require retailers to post signs explaining the video game rating system to customers. Democrats and Republicans both have bills that would address these problems, but they have gone nowhere. It is time to make this a priority."
okay, the entire thing requiring signs? that's just stupid. the ESRB DOES have a website. if parents want ot see the ratings, they can spend 5 minutes to see them at www.esrb.com
it's obvious that if spitzer has to say all that vile spew, then I'm glad to not live there, and parents DO have a job to do. it's called PARENTING>
April 28 2006, 21:09:22 UTC 6 years ago
No, I didn't email him. I faxed him my letters.
And I spoke to his crackerjack staff. Thanks for asking. Jack Thompson6 years ago
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April 28 2006, 17:38:02 UTC 6 years ago
OT, Pixelante
Ok, I'm giving a Pixelante T-shirt to my son's girlfriend on the 13th of May. I'm also giving her a document to explain, at least in some way, what Pixelante means. An explanation in a way that might be interesting to her. She's turning 11 years old.Anyway, I'm not trying to step on anyone's toes or remake the definition for anyone else, but thought I'd come up with something interesting. I can't figure out how to copy from notepad to here and keep the font into. So it will probably look "normal" to you here. I'm using "Monotype Corsiva" font in Bold Italic at font size 20. The following is what I have so far:
PIXELANTE:
In the beginning, there were the many individuals, called Gamers, who shared a common interest. They did take pleasure and enjoyment in that common interest and were happy. But soon, a dark shadow came upon the land and did decend upon Gamers. It did accuse them of using their common interest to bring harm to others, through words or physical acts. It did
accuse the Gamers of being dangerous and being harmed by the very thing that made them happy. It did accuse them of being the worst of humanity. And in so doing, did give the Gamers a new name: Pixelante.
One would think that this should anger and even enrage the Gamers. For they had been given a name that would have them seen as something horrible and evil.
But, the Gamers were not as beaten down as the dark shadow thought. For they were more intelligent than it had expected. The Gamers had known that the description the shadow had given for them was not true. So the new name given to them could was not set in stone because the definition was actually a lie. No matter how many times and how far the shadow tried to spread the new name, it could not stay fixed in stone because it was a lie.
Then did Gamers decide to take the name from the shadow and give it a new meaning and make it theirs for all time. And this is what the Gamers decided would make a Pixelante:
A Pixelante
(1) Shall take pleasure and enjoyment from the Virtual World (whether that Virtual World be of games, television, movies, or books).
(2) Shall not confuse the fictious, unreal world of the Virtual World with the Real World in which the Pixelante lives.
(3) Shall give aid and comfort to those Pixelantes who have lost their way by forgetting the second rule and shall aid them in finding the true path again.
(4) Shall always be responsible for their own actions and never blame any part of the Virtual World for their actions for that is not where a Pixelante lives.
(5) Shall always act with honor, ethics, and intelligence in the Real World.
(6) Shall never surrender their honor, ethics, or intelligence in defence of the Truth of their nature as previously defined.
And though the dark shadow still looms, Gamers have, to this day and forever more, been Proud to be a Pixelante!
Ok. Opinions please. Also, I want a line to describe that a Pixelante will defend Freedom of Expression but at the same time, must recognize that a Parent has the decision making ability for a Pixelante minor. It sounds icky that way. I've tried thinking of several ways, but it's just not coming out right. I know a few people don't like the parents having say over the kid, but it's what I want on the document for the 11 year old. I want her to know she has rights that extend up til where her parent's rights start.
Thanks for your attention and help.
nightwng2000
April 28 2006, 19:31:30 UTC 6 years ago
Re: OT, Pixelante
(7) Shall defend freedom of speech at all costs while acknowledging the responsibility and right of a parent to choose which games are played throughout the childhoods of younger gamers.Something like that?
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