Game Censorship and Regulation in the United States

Abstract

In the United States, attempts to legally regulate or restrict the production and distribution of violent games have been largely ineffective, as the courts have consistently held that video games are protected free speech under the US Constitution. However, these legal protections have not curtailed public debate about games or attempts to limit games’ content. To date, regulatory measures at the state and local level have been the topic of two landmark US Supreme Court cases, and national concern about violent and sexual content in video games led to the implementation of a voluntary industry-managed ratings system in 1994.

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