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"Parents today face unprecedented
challenges in monitoring and protecting their children from harmful
influences," said Gov. Blagojevich. "They have to worry about a lot
more than bullies and bad influences outside the home. Now, because
of advances in technology, our kids have easy access to information
and images inside our homes that our own parents would never
have dreamed of exposing us to. Some of the popular video games on
the market right now allow kids to simulate and participate in
violent and sexual activities. Soldiers heading to Iraq use
simulations like today's video games in order to prepare for war.
And that may all be OK if you're a mature adult or a soldier
training to fight, but is that really necessary for a 10-year-old
child?" The governor will
introduce two bills on this issue during the upcoming legislative
session: one that bans the distribution, sale, rental and
availability of violent video games to children younger than 18 and
another that bans the distribution, sale, rental and availability of
sexually explicit video games to children younger than 18. "Violent"
games would be defined as those realistically depicting
human-on-human violence in which the player kills, injures or
otherwise causes physical harm to another human, including but not
limited to depictions of death, dismemberment, amputation,
decapitation, maiming, disfigurement, mutilation of body parts or
rape. "Sexually explicit" games would be defined as those
realistically depicting male or female genitalia and other nudity
exposed in a way that, in accordance with contemporary community
standards, predominantly appeals to the prurient interest of the
player. Games in which the redeeming social value of the material
outweighs its appeal to the prurient interest shall not be deemed
"sexually explicit." The likely penalty for violating the bans would
be a Class A misdemeanor, punishable by up to one year in prison or
a $5,000 fine.
The two bills will also require
retailers to label violent and sexually explicit video games,
similar to the "Parental Advisory" label found on music CDs, and to
post signs explaining the video game rating system. A retailer's
failure to place proper signs would likely be punishable by a $1,000
fine for the first three violations and a $5,000 fine for every
subsequent violation.
Illinois would become the first
state to ban the sale and distribution of violent and sexually
explicit video games to minors. Unlike attempts by the state of
Washington, the city of Indianapolis and St. Louis County, the
governor's legislation will narrowly define violent and sexually
explicit video games to address concerns raised by federal courts,
and it is specifically intended to protect children.
A 2001 study from Iowa State
University found that exposure to violent video games increases
aggressive thoughts, feelings and behaviors. A 2001 Stanford
University study found that when the amount of time third- and
fourth-graders spent watching television and playing video games is
reduced to less than seven hours a week, their verbal aggression
decreased by 50 percent and physical aggression decreased by 40
percent. Another study, completed in 2003 by four experts, including
Douglas Gentile from the National Institute on Media and the Family,
concluded that adolescents who expose themselves to greater amounts
of video game violence were more hostile, reported getting into
arguments with teachers more frequently, were more likely to be
involved in physical fights and performed more poorly in school.
The popularity of video games is
widespread among children and teenagers. The National Institute of
Media and the Family recently found that 92 percent of all children
ages 2 to 17 play video games, and the average child spends nine
hours each week playing them. The institute also found that 87
percent of pre-teen and teenage boys play games rated "M" for
"mature" by the Entertainment Software Ratings Board. M-rated games
often contain realistic depictions of human injury and death,
mutilation of body parts, rape, sex, profanity, and drug, alcohol
and tobacco consumption.
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Even though mature games are labeled
with the Entertainment Software Ratings Board's M rating, there are
no legal mechanisms in place preventing children from buying them.
Unlike the motion picture industry, the video game industry has not
developed an effective self-regulation system that keeps adult
material out of the hands of minors. A study by the Federal Trade
Commission found that 69 percent of underage boys were able to
purchase M-rated video games -- giving them easy access to images
many adults would consider offensive.
The M-rated "Grand Theft Auto: San
Andreas," listed as one of the most violent and sexually explicit
games on the market, instantly became one of this year's best
sellers, outselling every other game on the market after its October
debut. Part of the "Grand Theft Auto" series that has sold more than
$32 million since 2001, "San Andreas" players avenge the hero's
mother's murder and restore glory to his gang by shooting police
officers, burglarizing homes, committing carjackings and soliciting,
fornicating with and beating prostitutes.
In 2003, video games recorded $7
billion in sales in the United States. But despite numerous studies
that document the negative effects playing violent and sexually
explicit video games have on minors, one study found that 70 percent
of the violent video games evaluated were targeted to children under
17 years old. The Federal Trade Commission also found that 10 of the
11 companies the commission studied produced at least one marketing
document specifically targeting boys under 17 for a violent M-rated
game.
In fact, one 1997 marketing plan
obtained by the FTC demonstrated that the advertisers knew they were
not supposed to market to younger audiences, but because of
children's higher susceptibility to advertising, the marketing was
targeted to boys between 12 and 17, despite the game being rated M.
The document wrote "[The game] has an M rating, which (1) may
discourage parents from buying the game, and (2) hinder clearance of
a commercial airing in shows primarily for children under 12.
However, the younger the audience, the more likely they are to
influenced by TV advertising. … Therefore, the recommended media
target audience is males 12-17 -- primary; males 18-34 --
secondary."
In addition to introducing
legislation banning violent and sexually explicit games, Gov.
Blagojevich today launched a website that will serve as a critical
resource for parents. By going to
www.safegamesIllinois.org,
parents will learn more about the effect playing violent and
sexually explicit games has on children's behavior. The interactive
website offers parents the opportunity to report video games they
feel are inappropriate for their kids. Parents are also able to
report Illinois retailers that are selling violent and sexually
explicit video games to minors. Finally, website visitors can
register their own comments and sign an online petition in support
of the governor's legislation to ban sale of violent and sexually
explicit video games to minors.
"This is all about protecting our
children until they are old enough to protect themselves,"
Blagojevich said. "There's a reason why we don't let kids smoke or
drink alcohol or drive a car until they reach a certain age and
level of maturity. That's just common sense. And that same common
sense should be applied to excessively violent and sexually explicit
video games."
[News release from the
governor's office]
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