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The Supreme Court struck down a law banning the sale of violent and sexually suggestive video games to minors, labeling it unconstitutional. 

By a 7-2 vote, the justices upheld a ruling by an appeals court that declared the law, which also imposes strict video-game labeling requirements, unconstitutional.

The argument the justices faced centered around First Amendment rights and protections offered by the Constitution. If there was a ban on selling video games to minors, it may force retailers not to stock certain games, locking out adults from the fun of blowing someone’s, or something’s, digital brains out.

“Since over 46 million American families have gaming systems, this is not a small issue. The real question is who is responsible for what children watch,” wrote technology.gather.com. “Is this the responsibility of the government or the responsibility of the parents? Parents should be monitoring what their children are playing anyway. There is no real way that passing a law banning them from buying or renting the games will keep them from playing the games that belong to older brothers or sisters or parents of friends. To change the Constitution and weaken the First Amendment for this purpose seems to weaken parental responsibility and increase government control over yet another aspect of our lives.”

The hearing stemmed from a proposed California’s law banning the Grand Theft Auto series of games in 2009.

Wonder which Justice owned an Xbox or PS3? 

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Grand Theft Auto IV