California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has signed a bill that will ban the sale of any video game to those under 18 that “depict serious injury to human beings in a manner that is especially heinous, atrocious or cruel”. This bill is similar to other laws recently passed in Michigan and Illinois. It is also similar to laws being challenged and already defeated.

Lawmakers believe laws of this nature will protect children from experiencing the “interactive nature of video game violence”. They point to studies that link violence in video games to violence and hostile actions in teenagers and preteens. There are numerous independent studies dispelling this connection as being no stronger than other forms of entertainment/media and even the positive effects of video games.

Even if the studies cited by lawmakers are correct and their intentions are genuine, laws of this nature will have little impact on minors’ access to mature and adult rated games for a number of reasons.

First, the laws leave the games covered by the ban up to interpretation. Many groups have already claimed that games that “depict serious injury to human beings in a manner that is especially heinous, atrocious or cruel” could even include boxing, football and hockey sports games. Without a clear definition, law enforcement could adequately not enforce the law.

Second, police unions and groups across the county have already said that they have better things to do than run sting operations to catch stores selling violent video games to minors. Ask any 14 year old if they can buy a pack of cigarettes as proof of how well those bans have been enforced.

Finally, studies have shown that most video games are actually purchased by the adults in the household for their children (at the child’s request). This means that children will still have access to these games, and it is up to parents, not the government, to monitor what their children are playing.