Sen. Josh Hawley said he will introduce federal legislation that would prohibit video game “loot boxes” or randomized assortments of digital weapons, clothing and other items that can be purchased for a fee.
“Social media and video games prey on user addiction, siphoning our kids’ attention from the real world and extracting profits from fostering compulsive habits,” Hawley said in a statement. “No matter this business model’s advantages to the tech industry, one thing is clear: There is no excuse for exploiting children through such practices.”
Purchases made within games — often called “micropayments” or “in-app purchases” — have come under scrutiny in recent years, in part, because children often use their parents’ credit cards or other payment methods to rack up charges that can run into the hundreds or thousands of dollars. Fearing the risks of addiction, regulators in Belgium, Japan and China have taken aim at loot boxes and other in-game microtransactions over the past year, resulting in some video-game companies pulling their titles from entire markets to comply with local restrictions.The Entertainment Software Association, a top lobbying group for the video game industry, countered by pointing to other countries, including Ireland and Germany, that “determined that loot boxes do not constitute gambling.
SenHawleyPress Government always overreaching their boundaries. Parents let them play and pay. Thats there right. Its free country. Republicans always taking something from us people
all this means is that the free games that have pay options will no longer be free or it'll be ad-palloza. great job, guys.
WALLACHLEGAL Good. It's gambling, pure and simple. And a pox on video games.
Because the anti-regulation crowd is not what they advertised - let us regulate your vagina & uterus and video games 😳 wait they are on to us 😡 let's regulate the media For big pocketed donor 🕵️♂️ unleash the hounds of hell 🤑
TonyRomm I would support this. These companies definitely prey upon children, knowing fully well what they are doing...even if they claim ignorance.
GAMERS RISE UP!
Wow corporate attacking gamers
The 21st Century equivalent of deck chair rearrangement.
These micro transactions have become so bad that the videogame industry has become like a digital casinos! It’s killing all the good sportsmanship out of the competitive gameplay! Activision Xbox Ubisoft EA
Staying right on top of things eh? All loot boxes are already removed for games in question! 🤦♂️🤔🙄❤️🇺🇸
But kids are having so much fun with gambling. It helps the economy. lel
WOOHOO
Hoo cares!!!!! Yo!!!! FrigginMaga!!!!!! Trump!! 2020 Yugely !!!!!!! Ben Bradlee is rolling over in his grave flipping WP the bird.
This is a priority? So freaking ridiculous.
EA execs be like..
Sad to see Republican forcing government regulation on business and taking responsibility for what kids do away from parents. Sounds like a dumb liberal policy to me.
a bill for video games is some new shit
Preventing the true crimes in America 😒
Can we outlaw presidential loot boxes too?
Glad to see that while the world is burning down, our government is focused on the important stuff🤦♀️
Just back off
Glad we solved all the other problems
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