Oh, Erin Burnett … The other night, the CNN host had a segment on gun control which seemed to push pretty hard on the idea that video games are the cause of school shootings — despite the fact that her guest disagreed with her. But the big problem with the clip is this: She spends the first couple of minutes of the clip talking about how much Obama’s gun control legislation might cost gun companies and how it might cost people jobs. But you could say that about new regulations in any industry! How much will more strident regulation of movies and video games cost those industries, Erin? And those products are protected by an amendment, too — the First Amendment. No matter your opinion on violent games, the way the show sets gaming up for the fall here is simply tacky. (ht Polygon)
With the recent tragedy on everyone’s minds, some people are looking for a cause and culprit other than the shooter. Unfortunately some are blaming media, including video games, for violent behavior in individuals. We know this isn’t the case; banning or regulating media content even more won’t solve the issue.Entertainment Consumers Association president Jennifer Mercurio • Speaking on the recent meeting between Vice President Joe Biden and executives of major video game companies, as part of Biden’s task force on curbing gun violence. The video game industry, which drew blame from NRA chief Wayne LaPierre during his controversial post-Sandy Hook press conference, has pushed back rather firmly against the notion that their products bear any responsibility to America’s gun violence epidemic. source
Supreme Court strikes down violent video game law 7-2: Now this is a decision we can get behind. Some of the recent ones haven’t been quite so hot lately. Read the decision over here. Key line: “The Act does not comport with the First Amendment.” (via @BreakingNews)
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