Parents Talk: Violent Video Games

Welcome to Parents Talk - our weekly conversational forum. Every week, we turn to our parenting experts (you!) to address a prickly question from another local parent. Share your thoughts about video games in the comments below. Have your own parenting questions or concerns, email kellyd@patch.com.

We've all seen the commercials for the latest video game promising bigger explosions, more innovative ways to kill enemies and deadlier weaponry for maximum carnage.

These games are readily available throughout Marin, and have many local kids buzzing. But, parents aren't the only ones with concerns. Violent video games have come under the microscope of state Sen. Leland Yee, D-San Francisco/San Mateo, who wrote a law in 2005 that would ban the sale or rental of violent video games to minors.

But earlier last month, the U.S. Supreme Court, by a 7-2 vote, struck down the California law that banned the sale or rental of violent video games to children under the age of 18.

The court majority said the games are protected by the First Amendment right of free speech.

Justice Antonin Scalia wrote, "Like protected books, plays and movies that preceded them, video games communicate ideas -- and even social messages.

The high court upheld rulings by U.S. District Judge Ronald Whyte of San Jose in 2007 and the 9th U.S. Circuit of Appeals in San Francisco in 2009 that struck down the law, following a suit filed by two industry groups, the Entertainment Merchants Association and the Entertainment Software Association, in San Jose in 2005.

Do you think the court made the right decision?

Regardless of what the court says, do you let your kids play video games? Or, only certain video games? How old do your kids have to be before you let them have their choice of video games?

How do you stop them from playing games you don't like at friend's houses?