Video Game Decency Act

In July of 2005, Rep. Fred Upton (R-MI) asked Congress to approve a Federal Trade Commission probe into the "Hot Coffee" scandal surrounding Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. He succeeded, but the FTC hasn't produced the results he wanted. "I guess I thought the FTC would have had some more teeth than they apparently have," Upton said this June. "I’m not at all happy… In essence there are no consequences. None… I would like to have thought that (Take-Two and Rockstar) would have been able to be fined for millions of dollars for the trash they put out across this country." In reponse, Upton has proposed the Video Game Decency Act - a law which would make it illegal to hide content that might earn a higher ESRB rating. It should be noted, though, that as the ESRB is a private and voluntary ratings system, it may be difficult for Upton's law to surive Constitutional challenges.

by MacNN Staff