The United States Supreme Court ruled 7-2 today that video games are in fact protected by the first amendment, a ruling more than six years in the making and was the first time the court has ruled on the video game industry.
Specifically, the case was the State of California VS The Entertainment Software Association (better known as the ESA or the video game industry) and would make it illegal for anyone to sell a violent video game to anyone under the age of 18.
Justice Scalia, one of the Supreme Court Members who sided with the gaming industry had this to say about the vote; “Video games qualify for First Amendment protection. Like protected books, plays, and movies, they communicate ideas through familiar literary devices and features distinctive to the medium. And “the basic principles of freedom of speech . . . do not vary with a new and different communication medium.”
Not everyone is happy about the decision though, Senator Leeland Yee, co-author of the bill says that he’s disappointed in the court’s decision, and that it puts corporate interest above that of our children.
“Unfortunately, the majority of the Supreme Court once again put the interests of corporate America before the interests of our children,” said the law’s author, Senator Leland Yee (D-San Francisco). “As a result of their decision, Wal-Mart and the video game industry will continue to make billions of dollars at the expense of our kids’ mental health and the safety of our community. It is simply wrong that the video game industry can be allowed to put their profit margins over the rights of parents and the well-being of children.”
Blast will be updating this story throughout the day.
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