JURIST - Paper Chase: California law against violent video games blocked by injunction

[JURIST] A federal judge has granted a temporary injunction against a new California law [text] banning the sale or rental of violent video games to minors sought by the Video Software Dealers Association [trade website] and the Entertainment Software Association [trade website]. In a ruling issued Wednesday, US District Court Judge Ronald Whyte stated the industry groups were likely to succeed in their lawsuit challenging the legislation based on grounds of free speech. The groups filed suit in October [JURIST report] seeking to enjoin enforcement of the law which would subject them to a $1,000 fine per infraction. The judge expressed his concerns about the causal connection between the access to violent video games and psychological or other harm to children. State officials, including California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, say the law will help parents determine which video games are appropriate for their children and that the state has a valid interest in protecting children from harmful exposure to violent video games. A judge in Illinois recently ruled in favor of the video game industry [JURIST report], overturning that state's "safe games" law. AP has more.

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