TheWeekInCongress.com

Week Ending July 29, 2005

H.RES.376  Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the Federal Trade Commission should investigate the publication of the video game "Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas" to determine if the publisher intentionally deceived the Entertainment Software Ratings Board to avoid an "Adults-Only" rating.

BRIEF

  A well advertised and apparently popular video game, “Grand Theft Auto” is suspected by the House as having somehow avoided an ‘Adults Only’ rating thereby allowing sales to minors. The House notes that the game offers ‘sexually explicit content’.

   According to the Resolution preamble the Entertainment Software Ratings Board caught on to the errant rating and revoked the earlier ‘Mature’ rating and applying the ‘Adults Only’ rating.

   Now the House wants the Federal Trade Commission to investigate the matter and determine if the manufacturer, Rockstar Games intentionally deceived the Ratings Board. If proven to be true the House wants the toughest penalties levied on Rockstar Games.

Sponsor: Representative Fred Upton (R-MI-6^th)

Vote: Passed House 355 to 21 (RC 419) (July 25, 2005)

Cost to the taxpayers: No discernible cost.

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MORE INFORMATION

Whereas the game contains sexually explicit content that is accessible by consumers but that appears to have been hidden from the ratings board in order to avoid the game receiving an `Adults Only' rating;

Whereas the Entertainment Software Ratings Board took swift action in investigating the matter and revoked the `Mature' rating, ensuring any future sales of `Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas' will be under an `Adults Only' rating; and

Whereas the publisher of the video game, Rockstar Games, may have intentionally deceived the ratings board and consumers: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Representatives that--

(1) the Federal Trade Commission should investigate the publication of the video game `Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas' to determine if the publisher, Rockstar Games, intentionally deceived the Entertainment Software Ratings Board to avoid an `Adults-Only' rating; and

(2) if the Commission determines Rockstar Games to have committed such deception or fraud, the Commission should apply the toughest of penalties.

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No reproduction or distribution without written permission from TheWeekInCongress.com.