What’s all the fuss?
Chicago has a problem with violent video games, and has banned the advertising of games like Grand Theft Auto IV on city buses and transit stops. Now, the ESA is hitting back with the good ol’ Constitution.
“The CTA’s ordinance constitutes a clear violation of the constitutional rights of the entertainment software industry” said ESA president Mike Gallagher. “Courts across the United States, including those in the CTA’s own backyard, have ruled consistently that video games are entitled to the same First Amendment protections as other forms of entertainment.”
The Grand Theft Auto series has been Chicago’s main target, with bans leveled on Grand Theft Auto IV and Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. Boston, Denver, San Antonio and Portland have also removed similar ads in past years.
In unrelated news, Chicago has had 202 homicides in the first six months of the year. Chicago, it may be time to worry a little less about violent video game ads and more about the city’s actual violence.
