Violence in videogames has entered the mainstream yet again. It seems like a monthly ordeal now. This time out the governor of Illinois wants our kids to be barred from buying violent games. Sounds like a groundbreaking idea! Under the guise of child protection legislation the first-term governor wants to try to ban games that fit into (he claims) a narrowly-defined niche. What exactly will define "violence" or "sex" or even"inappropriate" is yet to be seen. The focus of the law would be on retailers who sell to minors - a slippery slope if there ever was one. While I agree that children should not be exposed to games that their parents wouldn't want them to play, I also believe it's the parents who should keep an eye on the kid. Retailers bear some of the burden, of course. But IDs can be faked. Games can be purchased by an adult, and played by a minor. If data shows that retailers are acting irresponsibly in Illinois, then let the government get involved. But the onus should be on the government to prove that the problem is widespread in the state, before tax dollars are spent enforcing yet another law that smacks of City Hall parenting.
