Originally published December 29 2005
Illinois judge blocks entertainment regulations for minors
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
Judge Matthew Kennelly issued a permanent injunction blocking restrictions that would make it illegal to sell or rent violent or sexually explicit games to minors. Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich vowed "This battle is not over."
A federal judge in Illinois has blocked a pair of laws that would have made it illegal to sell or rent violent or sexually explicit video games to minors, finding that the laws violate free speech rights.
The ruling comes amid an increasingly bitter battle over the content in video games, which in the United States comprise a $10 billion industry that rivals the box office of Hollywood movies.
The decision applied to two Illinois laws which had been slated to go into effect on January 1 that would have imposed fines on retailers for violations.
U.S. District Judge Matthew Kennelly on Friday issued a permanent injunction blocking the restrictions, saying they would have a "chilling effect" on the creation and distribution of video games.
The judge sided with the Entertainment Software Association, the Video Software Dealers Association and the Illinois Retail Merchants Association, industry groups that had challenged the laws on constitutional grounds.
The judge said that there was no evidence presented to support the view that playing violent video games has a lasting effect on aggressive thoughts and behavior.
He also said the definition of "sexually explicit" was vague.
Bills aimed at restricting sales of violent games to minors are the latest effort in a long campaign by critics and some parent groups to limit access to games with adult content.
The controversy reached a new pitch this summer when game publisher Take-Two Interactive Software Inc. (TTWO.O: Quote, Profile, Research) pulled its blockbuster title "Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas" from store shelves following complaints over the discovery of hidden sex scenes.
But the video game industry has won most of the early court battles over proposed and pending legislation.
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