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VP Joe Biden: 'No legal reason' the US can't tax violent media

Jessica Conditt — Tue, 14 May 2013 16:45:00 EST

Vice President Joe Biden has been on the front lines of the gun violence debate since the mass shooting in Newtown, Connecticut, in December. In January, Biden led a task force assigned by President Barack Obama to examine possible means of curtailing gun violence in the US, and his findings prompted Obama to call for scientific research into the effects of violent media on young minds.

Earlier in May, Biden met behind closed doors with 20 representatives from faith-based organizations to discuss gun control and immigration, and he briefly addressed video games, Politico reports. Franklin Graham, son of evangelist Billy Graham, proposed to Biden that "media and entertainment that portray violence should be subject to a special tax, with the proceeds going to help victims and their families," according to Rabbi Julie Schonfeld.

Biden replied that there was "no restriction on the ability to do that; there's no legal reason why they couldn't" place a tax on violent media, Sister Marjorie Clark told Politico. Biden again emphasized the need for more research into the subject, Clark added: "He said they really need a good scientific study, which they've done on things like smoking."

During his initial fact-finding meetings in January, Biden expressed particular interest in speaking with inter-faith organizations, though he met with a wide swathe of communities, including entertainment companies, advocacy groups, youth organizations, the mental health community and the NRA.

VP Joe Biden: 'No legal reason' the US can't tax violent media originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 14 May 2013 16:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Vice President Biden reiterates need to research violent video games

Jessica Conditt — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 14:00:00 EST

On January 16, President Obama asked Congress to approve a $500 million plan with the goal of suppressing gun violence, including measures to limit magazines for military-style assault weapons to 10 rounds, making universal background checks mandatory for gun buyers and adding resource officers to schools that want them. Obama asked for $10 million for the Centers for Disease Control and other agencies to research the causes of gun violence, specifying "research into the effects that violent video games have on young minds."

On January 24, Vice President Joe Biden held a "Fireside Hangout" to field questions about the proposal, noting again that there was no relevant research into the effects of violent video games on human behavior.

"There is no hard data as to whether or not these excessively violent video games in fact cause people to engage in behavior that is antisocial, including using guns," Biden said. He mentioned a study from the American Academy of Pediatrics that concluded that children watching three to six hours of video games can lead to aggressive behavior - the study didn't extrapolate to violent behavior, however.

"So I recommended to the President that we do significant research," Biden said. "Let CDC, let the National Institute of Health, let these people go out and look at the pathology that's behind this, if there is a pathology related to gun violence. We shouldn't be afraid of the facts."

Vice President Biden reiterates need to research violent video games originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 29 Jan 2013 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Obama signs executive orders to curtail, research gun violence [Update: ESA responds]

Jessica Conditt — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 13:35:00 EST

President Barack Obama signed 23 executive actions today with the goal of suppressing gun violence and researching the effects of violent media on young minds. The actions supplement a proposed $500 million program to curtail gun violence, including implementing a universal background check for gun buyers, restoring a ban on military-style assault weapons and limiting magazines to 10 rounds, and developing emergency preparedness plans.

Obama mentioned video games once during the conference, asking Congress to provide $10 million for the Centers for Disease Control and other scientific agencies to research the causes of gun violence.

"While year after year, those who oppose even modest gun safety measures have threatened to defund scientific or medical research into the causes of gun violence, I will direct the Centers for Disease Control to go ahead and study the best ways to reduce it," Obama said. "And Congress should fund research into the effects that violent video games have on young minds. We don't benefit from ignorance. We don't benefit from not knowing the science of this epidemic of violence."

Obama's recommendations come after Vice President Joe Biden led a task force to investigate various industries and angles of curtailing gun violence, following the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Connecticut last month. He met with leaders in the video game industry, including EA's John Riccitiello, as part of his information-gathering tour.

"While there is no law or set of laws that can prevent every senseless act of violence completely, no piece of legislation that will prevent every tragedy, every act of evil, if there is even one thing we can do to reduce this violence, if there's even one life that can be saved, then we've got an obligation to try it," Obama said.

A summary of Obama's recommendations include the following steps: strengthen the background check system to keep guns out of the hands of criminals, help schools to hire more resource officers if they want them, develop emergency preparedness plans, clarify options that mental health professionals have for reporting threats of violence (acknowledging that those with mental health issues are more likely to be victims of violence rather than perpetrators), enacting a universal background check for anyone trying to buy a gun, restore a ban on military-style assault weapons and enact a 10-round limit on magazines, have Congress support severe punishments for criminal gun buyers and sellers, and placing more police officers on the streets.

Obama ended the conference by signing the executive orders, emphasizing the responsibility of Congress to enact his recommendations.

Continue reading Obama signs executive orders to curtail, research gun violence [Update: ESA responds]

Obama signs executive orders to curtail, research gun violence [Update: ESA responds] originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 16 Jan 2013 13:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Vice President Joe Biden to games industry: 'You have not been singled out' on gun violence

Jessica Conditt — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 23:15:00 EST

Vice President Joe Biden met with leaders and researchers in the video game industry on January 11 to discuss gun violence and the impact entertainment may have on consumers' real-world actions. Biden was charged with leading a task force to gather input from members of the gun violence debate following the school shooting in Newtown, Connecticut, in December.

The above video shows Biden's opening remarks, seated next to EA CEO John Riccitiello and president of the Electronic Software Association, Michael Gallagher.

"We know this is a complex problem," Biden said. "We know there's no single answer and, quite frankly, we don't even know whether some of the things people think impact on this actually impact on it or not." He put a hand on Riccitiello's shoulder. "I want you to know you have not been 'singled out' for help, but we've asked a whole lot of people."

Those people included the law enforcement community, physicians and medical authorities, at-risk and child advocacy groups, domestic violence prevention groups, legal and justice organizations, civil rights groups, youth organizations, gun safety and advocacy groups, educators and parents, the mental health community, sportsmen organizations, the NRA, retailers, film organizations and the one Biden found the most interesting, an inter-faith group. Biden's tour will conclude in a meeting with President Barack Obama on January 15, where they will discuss his findings with the goal of curtailing gun violence in the future.

Prior to the meeting, gaming groups such as the International Game Developers Association and Electronic Consumer Association sent open letters to Biden expressing their positions. The IGDA specifically called for Biden to explore both the positive and negative effects of imaginary violence and warned against the type of censorship that "did irreparable damage" to the comic book industry in the 1950s.

Vice President Joe Biden to games industry: 'You have not been singled out' on gun violence originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 14 Jan 2013 23:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Biden talks video game violence with industry representatives today

Sinan Kubba — Fri, 11 Jan 2013 08:35:00 EST

US vice-president Joe Biden is meeting with games industry representatives today to discuss the role of violent video games with regards to gun violence, as part of a response to last month's massacre at a Connecticut elementary school. As the Associated Press reports, today's meeting in Washington is the latest in a series of discussions Biden's task force is undertaking before presenting recommendations on how to suppress gun violence to President Barack Obama on Tuesday, January 15.

Meetings with film industry representatives and the National Rifle Association took place yesterday, with the NRA emerging "disappointed" from what it felt was an attack on the Second Amendment, objecting to a number of proposals including limits on high-capacity ammunition magazines and bans on assault weapons.

The Entertainment Software Association confirmed to Polygon that it's being represented at today's meeting by president Michael Gallagher. Sources involved with the meeting told Polygon other attendees include representatives for game publishers, research on the impact of video games on children, and the retail sector.

Several industry organizations, such as the International Game Developers Association and the Electronic Consumer Association, issued open letters to the vice president ahead of today's meeting. The IGDA calls on the government to consider the "totality" of research into video game violence, and to avoid causing the games industry similar damage to that suffered by the comic book industry because of the censorship laws of the 1950s. Similarly, the ECA notes a negative correlation between the growth of the games industry and the decrease in violent crime across the last decade.

As Polygon learned this week, there are plans to reintroduce a bill to Congress calling for a Federal Trade Commission study into connections between violent video games and harmful effects on children. The bill, originally brought to Congress last month following the Connecticut shooting, failed to make it through the 112th session on January 2. Its author, West Virginia senator Jay Rockefeller, is likely to reintroduce the bill before the end of the month. Previous FTC studies failed to establish any causal connections between violent video games and violent behavior.

Biden talks video game violence with industry representatives today originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 11 Jan 2013 08:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The VP debate on Xbox Live: Who won the battle for our hearts

Jessica Conditt — Sun, 14 Oct 2012 19:00:00 EST

The vice presidential debate, featuring democrat and current VP Joe Biden and republican Paul Ryan, hit US airwaves on October 11, streaming online, airing on television and playing through Xbox Live for Gold subscribers. More than 800,000 individuals answered the polling questions posed by the Xbox Live team, with more than 30,000 responses to each one. Questions considered subjects such as religion's role in government, who is better prepared to be vice president, how truthful Biden and Paul appeared, and of course, who won the debate.

For religion, 70.1 percent of Xbox Live Gold respondents do not consider a candidate's religion when voting, Major Nelson reports. Biden is viewed as better prepared to step in as VP, grabbing the nod from 53.7 percent of undecided voters, compared with Ryan's 21 percent. Swing voters also found Biden more truthful, with 72.2 percent of the vote. Biden "won" the debate, according to undecided Gold members, with 44.1 percent, compared with Ryan's 22.9 percent.

Xbox Live has two new Election 2012 partnerships in the works, with BBC and Comedy Central, bringing clips from The Daily Show and The Colbert Report, because those comedy shows are where we all get our news from anyway. The next Xbox Live Election 2012 event is the presidential town hall debate on Tuesday, October 16.

Now let's all cool off with a little songified VP debate.

The VP debate on Xbox Live: Who won the battle for our hearts originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 14 Oct 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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PSA: US vice presidential debate on Xbox Live at 9pm ET tonight

David Hinkle — Thu, 11 Oct 2012 14:45:00 EST

Whether you're in it for some free Halo armor or to participate in our nation's democratic process, tonight is the second in a series of four debates leading up to the 2012 presidential election. Following the first debate between Republican nominee Mitt Romney and President Barack Obama, Romney's running mate Paul Ryan and Vice President Joe Biden go head-to-head this evening.

Starting at 9pm ET tonight, you'll be able to tune into the Vice-Presidential debate through the Election 2012 hub on Xbox Live. The same interactive features from the last debate will also be available, including live voting through the app and suggesting questions through Twitter with the #XboxPoll hashtag.

PSA: US vice presidential debate on Xbox Live at 9pm ET tonight originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 11 Oct 2012 14:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Missed the Inauguration? Xbox Live has you covered

Xav de Matos — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 11:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fan stuff, Xbox Live Marketplace

For politically minded gamers connected to Xbox Live, Microsoft has made some of yesterday's inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States of America available to watch online. Found in the Spotlight area of the NXE, the Presidential section features videos of Barack Obama and Joe Biden's swearing in, musical performances and even select, and extremely topical, TV Shows and Movies for those who catch the political entertainment bug. Nothing like watching Mars Attacks! starring Michael J. Fox to celebrate a historical moment in American history! Wait, wha? But seriously, if you're down with history check out The Presidents, a History Channel documentary available in pieces in the Presidential section of the Marketplace.

[via Joystiq]

Missed the Inauguration? Xbox Live has you covered originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 21 Jan 2009 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Obama inauguration takes the Spotlight on Xbox Live

Randy Nelson — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 21:15:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, Microsoft Xbox 360

Log into Xbox Live tonight and the first thing you'll see is ... a photo of President Obama from today's inauguration. Indeed, the spotlight of the Spotlight channel is today's ceremony, including video of Obama and Vice President Joe Biden being sworn into office, the 44th President's inaugural speech and more.

Even the Movies and TV Shows categories have taken on the theme, featuring the likes of The West Wing and -- wait a second -- Mars Attacks? Yes, the Tim Burton camp-fest is inexplicably among the inaugural offerings. In any event, it makes sense that Microsoft would make a rather big deal about today's momentous occasion, having already urged users to Rock the Vote and conducted an informal election survey last fall (which now-President Obama and his running mate handily won).

[Thanks, Clayton]

Obama inauguration takes the Spotlight on Xbox Live originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 20 Jan 2009 21:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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