Violent video games have caused controversy since the dawn of…well, violent video games. Games have been blamed for crimes and behavior issues many times, resulting in various lawmakers calling for action throughout the last few decades. Not for the first time, Pennsylvania State Representative Chris Quinn (Republican) would like to see a tax imposed on graphic and violent games.
The video games targeted in House Bill 109 are those with Mature 17+ or Adults Only 18+ ratings from the ESRB. These games are rated as such for the graphic depictions of sexual content, violence, strong language, gore, and those that allow gambling with real money. If the lawmakers presenting House Bill 109 had their way, consumers would pay an extra 10 percent tax on these games. After all taxes, a standard $60 game would cost a consumer around $70, which is $6 more than what it costs today.
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According to the bill, the extra money would go towards the Digital Protection for School Safety Account “for the purpose of enhancing school safety measures.” Last year, Quinn said in a memo regarding the house bill:
One factor that may be contributing to the rise in, and intensity of, school violence is the material kids see, and act out, in video games. The National Center for Health Research recently posted an article finding “studies have shown that playing violent video games can increase aggressive thoughts, behaviors, and feelings in both the short-term and long-term. Violent video games can also desensitize people to seeing aggressive behavior and decrease prosocial behaviors such as helping another person and feeling empathy (the ability to understand others). The longer that individuals are exposed to violent video games, the more likely they are to have aggressive behaviors, thoughts, and feelings.”
In a statement to Variety, the Entertainment Software Association (ESA), which represents many video game publishers, called the bill “a violation of the U.S. Constitution.” They went on to say:
“The U.S. Supreme Court made clear in Brown v. Entertainment Merchants Association & Entertainment Software Association that video games are entitled to the full protection of the Constitution, and that efforts, like Pennsylvania’s, to single out video games based on their content will be struck down. Numerous authorities — including scientists, medical professionals, government agencies, and the US Supreme Court — found that video games do not cause violence. We encourage Pennsylvania legislators to work with us to raise awareness about parental controls and the ESRB video game rating system, which are effective tools to ensure parents maintain control over the video games played in their home.”
So, while it seems unlikely that this tax will pass, per the ESA, it doesn’t look like films, TV shows, and video games will ever stay out the hot seat for long.
What are your thoughts on a violent video game tax? Let us know in social media or in comments below!
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