Video Game Voters Network: fight For Your Video Games

Since Gamers united to form the Video Game Voters Network, we have grown to over 150,000 activists. Together we are protecting video games and gamers from government regulation and protecting our rights as gamers and Americans. To expand upon this success, we ask that you complete a short survey. Participating in this survey will help us understand you better, enabling us to offer personalized alerts that address your potential concerns.

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As part of the survey, we'd also like to hear your thoughts on what we should be doing with the Network — any ideas to improve our work are welcome. This is your movement.

You can make a difference in this fight for video games by helping shape the Network. It will only take a minute.

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Mississippi Gamers: Take Action Now!

U.S. Senator, Roger Wicker, is proposing a federal anti-video game bill. It is important for all Mississippi residents who love video games to send him a letter opposing this regulation!

Sen. Wicker sponsored S.3315 attempting to solve a problem that doesn't exist. Video game producers already self-regulate the industry. According to a Federal Trade Commission report, 80 percent of underage gamers who tried to purchase M-rated games were not allowed to buy them.

Mississippi residents, please write a letter to Sen. Wicker, and tell him you strongly oppose his bill. This unnecessary and unconstitutional legislation may ultimately force retailers to stop future sales of your favorite M-rated games. Parental education - not unconstitutional regulation - is the solution to keeping inappropriate games away from children.

Just like other unconstitutional bills, Sen. Wicker's legislation unfairly targets video games, while other forms of protected speech like R-rated movies are not subject to government scrutiny or mandatory ID checks. Twelve courts have reviewed this issue in the past six years and each found laws restricting the sale of games unconstitutional. Furthermore, these anti-video game bills, which circumvent the First Amendment, ultimately cost taxpayers millions in legal fees. When the video game industry challenges the legislation and it is ruled unconstitutional, states are forced to reimburse the industry's legal fees. It's a waste of government time and your tax dollars.

It is the job of parents, not the government, to ensure kids do not play video games created for adults. Tell Sen. Wicker that instead of introducing this needless bill, he should support efforts to educate parents about the ESRB rating system and parental controls on game consoles.

• If you are a Mississippi resident, please send a letter to Sen. Wicker today and let him know that you do not support this wasteful legislation.
• If you have friends or family in Mississippi, notify them of the situation by Spreading the Word.

For those concerned with how tax dollars are being spent, there is some upsetting news from the state of Minnesota. Taxpayers in that state found out this week how much it cost them for their elected officials’ decision to advance an unconstitutional attempt at regulating computer and video games. On June 30, the state of Minnesota reimbursed the video game industry for attorney’s fees—an amount totaling over $65,000. Minnesota is the latest state to see unconstitutional video game legislation struck down and paid for it with taxpayer dollars. States have now paid almost $2 million in legal fees to the video game industry as a result of pursuing the same unconstitutional mistake.

The original piece of legislation was passed in 2006 and lasted little more than a month before being declared unconstitutional by the courts.

Michael Gallagher, CEO of the ESA, pointed out, "Courts across the United States have consistently ruled that video games are entitled to the same First Amendment protections as other forms of art, such as music and literature."

Now more than ever, legislators must open their eyes to the reality of the situation. Regulating video games is unconstitutional, entirely unnecessary and, as evidenced most recently in Minnesota, costly to taxpayers. The most recent FTC report revealed months ago that the self-imposed ESRB system is the most effective rating system in the country--better than movies and music. Education, not regulation, is clearly the correct course.