Yee Urges Ratings Board to Come Clean in Probe

Speaker pro Tem Yee Urges Ratings Board, Game Maker to Come Clean in Senator Clinton's FTC Probe

US Senator Clinton Announces Mirroring Legislation to Speaker pro Tem Yee's AB 450

California Assembly Speaker pro Tem Leland Yee (D-San Francisco/Daly City), child psychologist and legislator who has pushed for laws limiting children's access to ultra-violent video games, is calling upon the Entertainment Software Ratings Board (ESRB) and Rockstar, the developer of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (GTA:SA), to come clean in a Federal Trade Commission (FTC) probe requested this morning by US Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-New York).

"The ESRB, the rating board which is funded by the video game makers, as well as Rockstar, the producer of Grand Theft Auto, need to stop giving ambiguous statements on this issue and come clean on who is responsible for allowing explicitly graphic materials in a game easily purchased by children," said Speaker pro Tem Yee. "In addition to teaching our children how to stalk, maim, and kill other human beings, Grand Theft Auto inundates developing minds with demeaning images of women."

Last week, Speaker pro Tem Yee blasted the ESRB for failing to appropriately rate GTA:SA in light of the newly unlocked scenes featuring oral sex, nudity, and simulated intercourse, as well as Rockstar for not fully disclosing the content of the game. Today, in addition to Senator Clinton's request for the FTC to take immediate action to determine the source of pornographic and violent content appearing on the world's most popular video game, she also announced federal legislation similar to Speaker pro Tem Yee's Assembly Bill (AB) 450, to help keep inappropriate video games out of the hands of children.

"I am announcing these measures today because I believe that the ability of our children to access pornographic and outrageously violent material on video games rated for adults is spiraling out of control," said Senator Clinton. "We need to do everything we can to make sure that parents have a line of defense against violent and graphic video games and other content that go against the values they are trying to instill in their children."

"As long as a 12 year old child can purchase a horrifically violent and sexually violent game like Grand Theft Auto, Manhunt, or 25 to Life, the rating system is failing our parents," said Speaker pro Tem Yee. "I look forward to working with Senator Clinton as we try to pass meaningful legislation to protect our children."