Maryland to parent your kids gaming habits for you

[Dubh Aingeal]

Personally I feel this should be the parents job to do, but then most parents have no clue what their kids are doing, let alone what they are playing on the pc or console.

Two Maryland lawmakers are pushing proposals to regulate the sale to minors of what they say are gratuitously violent video games, even though courts have struck down similar laws in other states.

Elected officials have been struggling to find a way to address what many Republicans and Democrats consider a disturbing problem -- the growth in popularity of especially violent video games, such as the Grand Theft Auto series, which feature decapitations, dismemberments and other brutal killings.

Maryland law makers attempt to parent kids.

[Homicidalheathen]

Eh, wouldn't bother me. I would just go buy it for them anyway.

[Lilith]

i dont not see this as parenting the kids jus tstopping store from selling material rated for adults to minors, seems to be the same as if a minor wanted to buy a playboy or rent a Movie Rated R. I personally would welcome the law, and Michigan does have a law similar, would keep kids from buying the stuff behind the parents back. It is the parents choice and all but kids do have mind of there own and no matter what rules i set if the item can be sold and he/she had enough want and cash for it he/she may just buy it. Seems to be a law to help support parents who do choose proper things and maeks it harder for the kids of parent who dont care to gain accsess to the material they should not be seeing in the first place.

The law does not restrict the parents choice, i still have the option of choosing weather or not i would buy the game for my child/teen. I will say At a certian minor age if you dont know its wrong to decapitate a person IRL and you think it is okay casue you played it on a video game then you need more then parental controls and law.

[Ginevra]

I do agree with keeping adult material out of the hands of children. If there is sexually explicit content, or if there is extreme violence, then no, kids shouldn't have it and there should be a warning on it. HOWEVER, putting "Grand Theft Auto" on your Christmas list can sometimes work. (Had this happen with a Kid Rock CD someone was buying for their 7 year old grandchild until they askd if Kid Rock was a 'filthy' singer to which I had to honestly answer with a resounding 'yes').

Beyond that, it should be up to the parents. Something about hedgehogs get you twitchy? That's your issue and you should make sure that your kids don't play games where hedgehogs are having fun.

[Homicidalheathen]

Depends on the clerk. My kids found out at 15 (they are both real pretty) that if you go to a store when a cute 18 yr old guy is working they will sell you the parental advisory stuff without me being there.

So it doesn't really work anyway.

Girls sell them stuff too.....that are close to their age anyway.

[Onyx]

Personally I think a lot of parents censor their kid's stuff too much.

What really affects a child is whether you pay attention to them. Violent video games don't make them go out and shoot people. Ignoring them and neglecting them might.

[Lilith]

Personally I think a lot of parents censor their kid's stuff too much.

What really affects a child is whether you pay attention to them.  Violent video games don't make them go out and shoot people.  Ignoring them and neglecting them might.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

i so agree, great point!