and also send this to your Senators:
Subject: Don't Restrict Video Games
Dear [Elected Official]:
I am writing to express my opposition to the so-called "Family Entertainment Protection Act" (FEPA). This bill will do little to keep violent video games out of the hands of minors, it thrusts government into parenting, and moreover similar proposals have been ruled unconstitutional by several Federal courts in the last few years.
I am an avid video game player who has been playing for many years. I believe this bill would limit my choice of video games as game publishers would shy away from making games for mature users like me, and retailers would shy away from selling them as they would fear prosecution under this legislation. As an adult who cares about protecting kids, I share in the spirit of the law, which is aimed at keeping inappropriate content out of the hands of minors, but I strongly disagree with the approach of this bill.
The average video game player is 30 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 adult-oriented video games away from minors is through the existing standardized industry game ratings, parental education, and continued voluntary retail enforcement of industry ratings. In addition to these efforts, all new video game consoles will come equipped with parental controls, so in due course parents will have total power, if they choose to use it, to control the games their kids play.
FEPA unfairly targets video games for regulation while other media with violent and sexual content, such as movies, magazines, and books can and are legally sold to consumers of all ages, including minors. There is no law banning kids from buying or getting into R or NC-17 rated movies, or watching TV shows with adult content, and there is no reason to treat video games any differently.
Please do not support the Family Entertainment Protection Act. It does nothing to protect children from inappropriate content and will only stifle creativity and consumer choices in video game entertainment. I look forward to hearing your thoughts on this issue.
