By Ranjan Bhaduri
Apr 27, (THAINDIAN NEWS) Flashy video games might be the newest sensation for all the gaming aficionados, but seldom do we check the negative effects it has on the kids, especially when the games are violent enough. Hence, the Supreme Court on Monday readily agreed to decide whether the state of California along with six other states may ban the sale of video games to minors that portray the characters getting violently butchered, maimed or sexually assaulted. The announcement came as a surprise as California’s laws have always remained blocked due to the “free-speech” challenges that has been put forward by the gaming industry.

The move comes soon after the justice division bench imposed a federal law on free speech grounds thereby banning the sale of any videos or whatsoever that depicts illegal acts of animal cruelty. While the case regarding the animal cruelty videos was still pending, the case regarding the ban of sale of violent video games to minors came up. It was highly expected that the justices will deny the appeal, thus letting the law to expire. However, relief for the parents who were finding it hard to refrain their children from these violent video games, surfaced as the Supreme Court agreed to decide whether the sale of these graphically violent games would be banned or not.

California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed the law in 2005, which stated that any retailer selling video games that are graphically violent are subjected to pay a hefty amount of fine, and the act will be regarded a serious offense. However, before the law came into effect it was soon blocked by a federal judge on the grounds of “free speech”. The newest revelation from Supreme Court comes as a welcome note for Arnold Schwarzenegger, who seemed a tad too pleased with the court’s decision.