Massachusetts to review new videogame legislation

According to this, Massachusetts politicians are to vote on a House Bill this week that, if passed, would elevate videogames in state law to being as damaging to children as the sex industry.

On the bright side, the motion's very similar to the Jack Thompson-authored Louisiana video game law ruled unconstitutional by a US District Court judge in 2006.

The bill reads:

“Matter is harmful to minors if it is obscene or, if taken as a whole, it… depicts violence in a manner patently offensive to prevailing standards in the adult community, so as to appeal predominantly to the morbid interest in violence of minors; is patently contrary to prevailing standards of adults in the county where the offense was committed… and lacks serious literary, artistic, political or scientific value for minors.”

Sound reasonable. Hopefully it won't get anywhere.

By Mike Bowden