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Video Game Voters Network: fight For Your Video Games

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Voices for Video Games

"The most intelligent and enlightened means of regulating any form of consumer good is a two-part process. The first part is to place responsibility on the producer to make sure that the market is aware and educated on the qualities of its product. The second is to place responsibility on the consumer to, once thusly informed and educated, to use the product responsibly upon acquirement." - Read more

Gabriel G.

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Write Your Representative

For years, elected officials have postured on the issue of video games and there have even been some proposals for national regulation. Our House members need to understand that drafting laws to regulate video game sales is not the answer to protecting children; instead, it is simply a waste of taxpayers' time and money. The real solution is to focus on ratings, parental controls, and educational partnerships to ensure that parents have and use all of the tools available to make appropriate game choices for their kids.

Please send a letter to tell your Representative that education, not regulation, is the best way to help make sure that kids play the games that are right for them.

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Subject:
Dear Decision Maker:

I am writing to make you aware of an issue that is quite important to me. In recent years, some members of Congress have attempted to pass laws that regulate the sale of certain video games. As a constituent who is an avid video game player, I do feel it is important to keep inappropriate content out of the hands of minors. Yet, regulating video games is not the solution, nor is it constitutional. In fact, in every single court case - nine in total - in the past six years, judges have struck down these clearly unconstitutional laws.

The average video game player is 33 years old, and according to the Federal Trade Commission's own statistics, parents are involved in the purchase and rental of games over 80 percent of the time. Therefore, the best way to keep "M" rated games from children is to educate parents about important tools like the ESRB rating system, as well as continued voluntary retail enforcement of industry ratings. In addition to these efforts, all new video game consoles are equipped with parental controls, so parents have the power, if they choose to use it, to control the games their kids play.

Despite attempts by certain states, which have cost the taxpayers millions in legal fees, the Courts have ruled that video games are entitled to the same First Amendment protections given to movies, music, and books. Laws that attempt to regulate video games simply are ineffective and ultimately do nothing but waste taxpayers' money. Instead, I urge you to consider implementing effective programs to educate parents about the ESRB game ratings and parental control tools.

I appreciate your attention and wish you the best.

Sincerely,

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