In an unsurprising move, the Parents Television Council has expressed support for California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s recent appeal of a court decision that overturned the state’s unconstitutional videogame law.
PTC President Tim Winter said, “Parents should be involved in any decision to purchase a violent or sexually explicit videogame rated M or AO. Videogame companies claim they want to keep adult-oriented games out of the hands of children yet they have failed to do so. And when California and other states attempted to put the control back into the hands of parents, the videogame industry filed a lawsuit to prevent it.”
Winter claimed that “studies repeatedly prove that small children can easily purchase adult-oriented games,” apparently referring to a 2007 Federal Trade Commission report which found 42% of children aged 13 to 16 were able to buy an M-rated videogame, compared to 71 percent who were able to buy unrated or R-rated movies on DVD, and 76 percent who were able to buy explicit-content music. Winter also stated “research” shows that videogames can cause brain damage in young children.
“The industry has exposed its desire to take a child’s money rather than to enable parents,” Winter continued. “Governor Schwarzenegger is taking a stand for parents across the country who have supported state laws just like California’s AB 1179 only to be disappointed by overzealous judges.”
The Parents Television Council is a conservative interest group whose stated goal is “to promote and restore responsibility to the entertainment industry.” Over the years it has waged campaigns against the WWE, MTV and the FX Network, and was a driving force behind the barrage of complaints that followed Janet Jackson’s boobslip during the 2004 Superbowl halftime show.
