Video Games in North Carolina: Game Over?
In case you haven’t heard, a new video gaming-related Bill was introduced in the North Carolina Senate (track its status here). Essentially, if passed into law, it would censor “violent” video games by pushing them to the adult section of video stores. This obviously affects video games for sale and rent, so let’s look at some of the ridiculous components of this bill.
First, on the lighter side, what’s considered offensive to minors? While many obvious elements are listed, my favorite is this: “Covered human male genitals in a discernibly turgid state.” So, if your manly video game protagonist is sporting a package like Conan, then off to the porno aisle.
On a more serious note, here is some of the key language that describes would-be video game offenders with more comments in italics:
(1) Graphic violence. – The realistic visual depiction of serious injury to human beings, actual or virtual, including aggravated assault, decapitation, dismemberment, or death.
I guess we have to start making video games that are less realistic, especially when characters are getting shot to pieces.
(2) Harmful to minors. – That quality of any video game that depicts graphic violence and that, taken as a whole, has the following characteristics:
a. The average adult person applying contemporary community standards would find that the depiction of graphic violence in the video game has a predominant tendency to appeal to a morbid interest of minors in violence;
b. The average adult person applying contemporary community standards would find that the depiction of graphic violence in the video game is patently offensive to prevailing standards in the adult community concerning what is suitable for minors
Translation: Video store owners better move anything remotely violent to the back room unless they have a really good feel for what an “average adult” is thinking.
c. The video game lacks serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value for minors.
Can’t a kid just play a game for fun?
§ 14‑317.4. Video game retailer and video arcade must inform customer that video game ratings are available.
Makes sense—I (as the owner of the video store) have to make sure you know about the video game ratings, but the law does not use them in defining what’s violent.
What else needs to be said? If this Bill passes, Game Over in North Carolina.