Did I break the law at Gamestop?

So I went to Gamestop yesterday, and these teens were standing outside and asked me if I could buy them GTA4 if they give me the money for it. I hesitated at first, but then I figured it wasn't that big a deal. I mean, to this day I play games my mom does not approve of, even though I'm 19. So what would you have done in the situation? Would you have but GTA for them or just rub it in their faces that they're too young to be playing it? They looked like they were in high school by the way.

So I went to Gamestop yesterday, and these teens were standing outside and asked me if I could buy them GTA4 if they give me the money for it. I hesitated at first, but then I figured it wasn't that big a deal. I mean, to this day I play games my mom does not approve of, even though I'm 19. So what would you have done in the situation? Would you have but GTA for them or just rub it in their faces that they're too young to be playing it? They looked like they were in high school by the way.

viewtiful26

No, ESRB ratings aren't legally binding unlike laws concerning cigarettes and alcohol. Other than potentially circumventing the wishes of their parents, you didn't do anything illegal.

[QUOTE="viewtiful26"]

So I went to Gamestop yesterday, and these teens were standing outside and asked me if I could buy them GTA4 if they give me the money for it. I hesitated at first, but then I figured it wasn't that big a deal. I mean, to this day I play games my mom does not approve of, even though I'm 19. So what would you have done in the situation? Would you have but GTA for them or just rub it in their faces that they're too young to be playing it? They looked like they were in high school by the way.

MarcusAntonius

No, ESRB ratings aren't legally binding unlike laws concerning cigarettes and alcohol. Other than potentially circumventing the wishes of their parents, you didn't do anything illegal.

yeah no law broken here.

Other than being kind of a douche for buying something their parents probably didn't want them to have, you didn't break any laws.

Canvas_Of_Flesh

Hey I resent that! Though it does kind of remind me of the time I tried to buy the movie Crash in that very same store, but they wouldn't accept me to use my school ID, even though I was already 18. Luckily, some older friends came in and got it for me. Still, I reasoned that most teens from past generations did similar things, like buying violent comic books or sneaking into R rated films without there parents permission.

[QUOTE="Canvas_Of_Flesh"]

Other than being kind of a douche for buying something their parents probably didn't want them to have, you didn't break any laws.

viewtiful26

Hey I resent that! Though it does kind of remind me of the time I tried to buy the movie Crash in that very same store, but they wouldn't accept me to use my school ID, even though I was already 18. Luckily, some older friends came in and got it for me. Still, I reasoned that most teens from past generations did similar things, like buying violent comic books or sneaking into R rated films without there parents permission.

resent it all you want its the truth. i do think it should be a law that you cant sell these things to minors, or buy them for someone else's kid. its just making it more difficult for us actual adults to get the content we want. devs are too scared to put certain things in games because idiots will buy it for kids that should not be playing it.

[QUOTE="viewtiful26"][QUOTE="Canvas_Of_Flesh"]

resent it all you want its the truth. i do think it should be a law that you cant sell these things to minors, or buy them for someone else's kid. its just making it more difficult for us actual adults to get the content we want. devs are too scared to put certain things in games because idiots will buy it for kids that should not be playing it.

OneWingedAngeI

Are you saying you never disagreed with your parents on a matter you felt you were responsible enough for? These guys weren't kids anyway, they were probably a year or two away from reaching 17. As for saying that devs feel scared about putting content children may see, that's something EVERYONE worries about. Books can some pretty explicit content as well, but there is no universal rating system on them. Have any of your friends ever snuck into an R rated film before they became of age? Sure, this may not be as prevalent today, but years ago it was very common. Teenagers can experience drugs, sex, etc. in real life in their very high school (my neighborhood isn't very sophisticated). There's no way to point fingers on who's mature enough and who isn't.

[QUOTE="OneWingedAngeI"][QUOTE="viewtiful26"][QUOTE="Canvas_Of_Flesh"]

resent it all you want its the truth. i do think it should be a law that you cant sell these things to minors, or buy them for someone else's kid. its just making it more difficult for us actual adults to get the content we want. devs are too scared to put certain things in games because idiots will buy it for kids that should not be playing it.

viewtiful26

Are you saying you never disagreed with your parents on a matter you felt you were responsible enough for? These guys weren't kids anyway, they were probably a year or two away from reaching 17. As for saying that devs feel scared about putting content children may see, that's something EVERYONE worries about. Books can some pretty explicit content as well, but there is no universal rating system on them. Have any of your friends ever snuck into an R rated film before they became of age? Sure, this may not be as prevalent today, but years ago it was very common. Teenagers can experience drugs, sex, etc. in real life in their very high school (my neighborhood isn't very sophisticated). There's no way to point fingers on who's mature enough and who isn't.

i disagreed with them all the time, but that does not matter. the law should still exist as a protection to developers. if it is a law, they can say hey the people that don't enforce the law are the problem, not us for creating the content. ive snuck into R rated movies but my parents could blame the theater for not enforcing the rule, not the people that made the movie.

also, this would strictly categorize adult games as adult. it would help people to stop viewing games as toys and as an expression medium

its not illegal, just store policy. its not like buying beer for a minor. i wouldnt buy it for them though. its pretty racy.OneWingedAngeI

So I went to Gamestop yesterday, and these teens were standing outside and asked me if I could buy them GTA4 if they give me the money for it. I hesitated at first, but then I figured it wasn't that big a deal. I mean, to this day I play games my mom does not approve of, even though I'm 19. So what would you have done in the situation? Would you have but GTA for them or just rub it in their faces that they're too young to be playing it? They looked like they were in high school by the way.

viewtiful26

you should have ask for a few bucks to do it for them. if I'm ever asked that's what I will do.

[QUOTE="Canvas_Of_Flesh"]

Other than being kind of a douche for buying something their parents probably didn't want them to have, you didn't break any laws.

viewtiful26

Hey I resent that! Though it does kind of remind me of the time I tried to buy the movie Crash in that very same store, but they wouldn't accept me to use my school ID, even though I was already 18. Luckily, some older friends came in and got it for me. Still, I reasoned that most teens from past generations did similar things, like buying violent comic books or sneaking into R rated films without there parents permission.

I resent that you resent that!!@#@$@! Seriously though, I think it's more funny that you got it for them and once their parents find out they get their $60 game taken away. Epix Lolzzers

[QUOTE="OneWingedAngeI"][QUOTE="viewtiful26"][QUOTE="Canvas_Of_Flesh"]

resent it all you want its the truth. i do think it should be a law that you cant sell these things to minors, or buy them for someone else's kid. its just making it more difficult for us actual adults to get the content we want. devs are too scared to put certain things in games because idiots will buy it for kids that should not be playing it.

viewtiful26

Are you saying you never disagreed with your parents on a matter you felt you were responsible enough for? These guys weren't kids anyway, they were probably a year or two away from reaching 17. As for saying that devs feel scared about putting content children may see, that's something EVERYONE worries about. Books can some pretty explicit content as well, but there is no universal rating system on them. Have any of your friends ever snuck into an R rated film before they became of age? Sure, this may not be as prevalent today, but years ago it was very common. Teenagers can experience drugs, sex, etc. in real life in their very high school (my neighborhood isn't very sophisticated). There's no way to point fingers on who's mature enough and who isn't.

In other words you are shouldering the blame onto everyone else. Soceity may well be at fault in several ways, but you are only arguably making it worse rather than better.

I did it for some kid even though im 15. but i took the disc out the case and kept it for my self :D.

rastaman219

Nice but sneeky.

Anyway, about books being offensive to children, i read Trainspotting when i was 15 and nobody really noticed untill i started quoting from the sections where they were injecting heroin into each other. This really shows how much parents dont pay much attention to their kids.

Also I think you should have either phoned the police or let the kids steal their own version of the game because those people sounded like they were the type to have enough balls to do that.

I think it should be law that games are only sold to the age that they show, because imagine if a 10 year old started playing Doom or Jerico, or maybe something like Silent Hill, that would really mess up its head.

Im 16 now so i can watch or read or play whatever i want really because i have the common sense not to play the overly gory games with no storylines lol.

And books cant really be censored, it would be too hard to get all the books in the world.

nah I would have come out of the store with the game pointed at them and then laugh saying SUCKERS!!! hahahaha

[QUOTE="rastaman219"]

Im 16 now so i can watch or read or play whatever i want really because i have the common sense not to play the overly gory games with no storylines lol.

CowMan07

you are right GTA suck bum anyway

Im 16 now so i can watch or read or play whatever i want really because i have the common sense not to play the overly gory games with no storylines lol.
CowMan07

you are right GTA suck bum anyway discwold

[QUOTE="CowMan07"]Im 16 now so i can watch or read or play whatever i want really because i have the common sense not to play the overly gory games with no storylines lol.
IcyToasters

you are right GTA suck bum anyway discwold

Guys like you rock my world, luckily I know people at EB so I can get any game I want despite being 15.

But it was guys like you that made me play so many great games that stupid store policies prevented me from doing
Toriko42

Um...thanks, I think. Though its strange some posts are saying that I shouldn't have bought it for them, but the truth is, I probably would've done the same thing if it was one of my friends that wanted an M rated title. These guys weren't kids anyway, and it was only a matter of time when they'd bump into an older neighbor/friend/etc. that would buy the game for them.

On another note, it's interesting that M rated titles weren't as restrictive as to who can an who cannot purchase them five or so years ago.

I think whenever someone says "suck bum" they better be joking, or they are 4 years old.
Toriko42

[QUOTE="Toriko42"]Guys like you rock my world, luckily I know people at EB so I can get any game I want despite being 15.

But it was guys like you that made me play so many great games that stupid store policies prevented me from doing
viewtiful26

Um...thanks, I think. Though its strange some posts are saying that I shouldn't have bought it for them, but the truth is, I probably would've done the same thing if it was one of my friends that wanted an M rated title. These guys weren't kids anyway, and it was only a matter of time when they'd bump into an older neighbor/friend/etc. that would buy the game for them.

On another note, it's interesting that M rated titles weren't as restrictive as to who can an who cannot purchase them five or so years ago.

It's hardly surprising that enforcement's being stepped up, given the recent legal uproar over games and minors. In fact, the FTC recently found that games are the best enforced of all media ratings.

Also, I like the fact that you keep insisting that people who are younger than 17 aren't kids. Maybe we should use the term "minors" since that isn't debatable. But I'd say someone aged 15 or 16 is still a kid for all intents and purposes, especially legal ones.

No, you did not break the law. Either way, I could careless if you bought some M rated game for a couple of high school kids. I remember when I was like 13 or so, me and my buddy wanted to see "I Know What You Did Last Summer" and the ticket dude wouldn't sell us the tickets so we left with frowns on our faces but this young couple came along and asked us how come we couldn't get in and we told him we were too young so buddy and his girlfriend got us in. They basically told the ticket guy that we were with them and bam, we were in.

Either way, it's not a big deal IMO unless they asked you to buy them alcohol or cigarettes. Unless buying M rated games for underage kids goes the way of alcohol or cigarettes ($5000 fine if caught buying for minors in Ontario), don't worry or stress about it.

Legally? No, I don't think so.

Morally? Maybe. Depends how you personally feel about it.

I wouldn't get it for them unless they were like friends of mine.

Legally it depends on the state you live in. There are no federal laws, but certain states have them. Your chance of being prosecuted are nil....unless the prosecutor is up for election and wants attention, then you are screwed.

Morally it's wrong, cause that's disrespectful to the kids parents. Live how you want, fine, but you have no right to mess with an un-emancipated minor.

Legally it depends on the state you live in. There are no federal laws, but certain states have them. Your chance of being prosecuted are nil....unless the prosecutor is up for election and wants attention, then you are screwed.

Morally it's wrong, cause that's disrespectful to the kids parents. Live how you want, fine, but you have no right to mess with an un-emancipated minor.

Hulabaloza

No state has a law. No state has ever had a law.

[QUOTE="Hulabaloza"]

Legally it depends on the state you live in. There are no federal laws, but certain states have them. Your chance of being prosecuted are nil....unless the prosecutor is up for election and wants attention, then you are screwed.

Morally it's wrong, cause that's disrespectful to the kids parents. Live how you want, fine, but you have no right to mess with an un-emancipated minor.

appleater

No state has a law. No state has ever had a law.

Actually, many if not most states have passed some form of laws regarding this issue. The problem is that almost all of them have been overturned by the courts, because they always go to far (for example, banning ALL violent games, rather then just to minors).

I don't know what current laws are in effect and in what states, but you can bet the ACLU is fighting them.

Google it and you'll see.

[QUOTE="appleater"][QUOTE="Hulabaloza"]

Legally it depends on the state you live in. There are no federal laws, but certain states have them. Your chance of being prosecuted are nil....unless the prosecutor is up for election and wants attention, then you are screwed.

Morally it's wrong, cause that's disrespectful to the kids parents. Live how you want, fine, but you have no right to mess with an un-emancipated minor.

Hulabaloza

No state has a law. No state has ever had a law.

Actually, many if not most states have passed some form of laws regarding this issue. The problem is that almost all of them have been overturned by the courts, because they always go to far (for example, banning ALL violent games, rather then just to minors).

I don't know what current laws are in effect and in what states, but you can bet the ACLU is fighting them.

Google it and you'll see.

No state has ever had a law. Judges kill the proposals before their effective date. Judges don't split the baby. There's a winner and loser. The minors' record is something like 18 and 0, and unlike the New England Patriots, they're not going to lose.

Jack Thompson is being tried for disbarment; the decision was going to be announced when GTA IV was released - at which point Mr. Thompson flooded the judge with e-mails, and she had to delay her verdict until August because she has to review everything to give him a fair trial. His disbarment - yes or no - was going to be announced at the exact moment GTA IV scored perfect 10's. Rockstar had a hand in it, and personally I made a note not to get them mad. The ACLU doesn't have anything to do with it. The video game industry defends the minors, and then recoups millions upon millions in legal fees from the states stupid enough to try to make these laws. It's on this point that your analysis is completely lacking - not only are the minors winning, we're all paying for this stupidity.

I don't hate Mr. Thompson; he's not dumb; he's a religious fundamentalist, not an attorney, who rejects the American legal system, which is why a few of us knew he was doomed to lose in court, whether he's a good man or not. I felt bad that he was in jeopardy of losing his law license at the very moment of Rockstar's complete triumph, but the truth is he rejects the American legal system and shouldn't have a law license.

Brendan Sinclair of GameSpot understands the issue. It'd be nice if all gamers understood.

no. i mean, they can play them. they just can't buy it. and they didn't buy it, did they?

Lol. I bought Diablo 2 from my cousin when I was 15 I believe. Who cares.

Don't give me that nonsense about how it makes it harder for adults to get these games. The reason that those games are harder to get out is the fact that as a whole, people still consider the medium childish to a certain extent. That, and the ESRB pushes a rating system that's flawed, dated, and overall pretty meaningless except to overly conscientious adults that don't take the time to have a look at what the game actually entails.

When/if I ever have children, I'm going to have video games as well. If my children pursue games with mature content, I'll take a look at it myself and decide whether or not I want my child to experience it. I'm not barring my 13 or younger year old son/daughter from some of the best games ever made with some of the best features ever conceived because a company thinks they can tell me what's safe for them.

An example of this is the Halo series. I've played it for a long time and I would have little reason to bar my child from playing it. I think it's an absolutely fantastic game that spans an imaginative universe and an incredibly fun multiplayer feature. I would love to play a video game with my future son or daughter. Now let's look at Grand Theft Auto. Is the current game kid-friendly? No, not in my opinion. It's rated the same but I know exactly what's involved in it and I wouldn't approve of it unless my son/daughter portrayed to me the responsibilty of acting like an adult and doing what I tell them. If they are adult enough to handle themselves in the real world, I don't think I'd have a problem with them playing the game. I'm 21 and I don't act "Adult' enough!

Notice, both games are rated M. I decide what's right, not what some other company thinks. This is evident in the fact that an adult can be present with you when you buy the game and decide whether or not to allow you to purchase it.

I just wish more companies would embrace more adult content in games. If they actually did this, guess what? The ESRB would have to make even more ratings or just give up the current mold. I'm an adult and I'm getting a little sick and tired of going to buy a game and seeing nothing particularly thought provoking or meaningful. Some of the best aspects in different forms of media revolve around things that video games don't dare to go around. Read: Sexually Explicit.

If you had a game that was released for a major system that featured nothing adult aside from sexual content, it would receive an adults only rating and be banned from all console manufacturers and stores. I'm getting sick of this.

Grow up people. It's 2008 and we still can't show sex in a video game! Yet people getting chainsawed in half and people cursing relentlessly is completely and totally acceptable.

If it hadn't been you, it would've been someone else.

Maybe a stupid response but that's the way it is..

This may sound strange, but at the age of 19 I probably would have done it, but now that i'm 30, most likely I would just walk away.skingus

You didn't break the Law, you just went around it. From my point of view you broke the moral purpose of the law, which is: if you're not old enough, you can't play GTA.

The correct behavior would probably have been to ignore their request. It's no big deal, though.

There's a reason for age limitations on games and if we could all respect them we'd have less people attacking our favorite hobby.