The Entertainment Software Association (ESA) has created a new voter registration drive to encourage 18-29 year old American gamers to vote on laws that restrict video games, despite 2004 figures showing an increase in the 18-34 year-old turnout over 2000. Whether or not the video game topic can increase poll attendance, ESA president Douglas Lowenstein hopes youth activism will create a voice in lieu of old fogey politicians that dominate current representation.ARS Technica reports: "The voting drive is a part of a larger 'grassroots' effort called the Video Game Voters Network which is designed to raise awareness of these issues amongst the public. The VGVN 'opposes efforts to regulate the content of entertainment media, including proposals to criminalize the sale of certain games to minors, or regulate video games differently than movies, music, books, and other media.'"
Note: ESA membership accounts for 90% of all video game manufacturers and publishers.
[via Slashdot]



















(Page 1) Reader Comments
In all seriousness 18-24yr olds should be voting for a whole lot of stuff not just video game related issues. Right now the country is being run by a bunch of old monkeys who don't care about or don't know the values and beliefs of our generation. They know that most 18-24yr olds don't care about politics and they will pass any law that lets their money grubbing corporate benefactors screw us out of our money and rights. (RIAA)
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Umm, I got nothing else to say, thank you and goodnight.
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Look I'm all for gaming but there are far more important issues at stake now than which politician 'understands gamers'.
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The ESA trying to get us to vote on their behalf is a JOKE. ARS Technica labeling this a "grassroots" effort is a slap in the face of anyone whose done any real political activism.
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They are infinitely more important than safeguarding children from offensive material. Thats the parent's job and the parent's job ONLY. It doesn't matter how many stupid ratings and laws you come up with, lousy parents will still buy M-rated games just to occupy their brat children so they can avoid real parenting.
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If I could ask every senator and member of the house one question, it would be: When do you think we'll have enough laws? And no I won't take any BS about changing world situations and junk like that. Terrorism has been illegal for nigh on forever, and making it 'more illegal' doesn't help anything. If you're going to argue some freedoms must be impinged in order to protect people from terrorism, or whatever your fear du jour is, how about telling us when you think it might STOP? Are there ANY limits they see?
Right now, as far as I can tell, everyone in Washington is 100% concerned with remaining in power, protecting their status as oligarchs, and amassing as much control and power as possible. At this point, Democrat or Republican does not matter. They have both assessed the situation and determined that if the Republicans take away a freedom today, that's power the Democrats will have once they get elected. And the same applies in the other direction. The only threat to them is 3rd parties, and only if they see 3rd parties gaining strength might they start backing off and realizing there are still people who value their freedom. Right now to them it doesn't look like they can do any wrong. Keep gathering power, and incumbents have nothing to fear.
If you want to learn more about the Libertarian Party, the one party that doesn't care what you do if you're not hurting anyone else, check their website http://www.lp.org .
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