Tax proposal for "violent" video games

[Saint_Dee]

Warning: If you’re currently near a wall, desk, table or any solid object, take care while reading this story. You may be struck with an overwhelming urge to bash your head against it.

A Representative of Missouri, Republican Diane Franklin of Camdenton, is calling for a sales tax on violent video games following the tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut. “Violent,” in this instance, really doesn’t mean what you think it does. From the proposed bill: “the term ‘violent video game’ means a video or computer game that has received a rating from the Entertainment Software Rating Board of Teen, Mature, or Adult Only”

That means that , if successfully passed, Teen-rated games like The Sims 3, Starcraft 2, EVE Online and Tropico 4 would all be taxed in Missouri on account of how unrepentantly violent they are. Seriously, if my eyes rolled any harder it would cause permanent damage.

If passed, the bill would impose a 1% sales tax to violent games, to be used to finance mental health programs and law enforcement measures to prevent mass shootings. No other form of media is being targeted by the proposal.

KSDK report similar legislative attempts in Oklahoma and New Mexico, both of which failed to pass.

Source: PC Gamer

Another shot a gaming while other forms of media are left out? Absurd IMO *sigh*.

Out of curiosity, is there a such a tax on guns and weapons in general?

 

[MalicE]

HAHAHAHA!

and just under that article in the "Related post" section they have Study suggests gamers aren’t desensitised by violent games

 

[Juvenile]

Don't we already pay tax on videogames purchased?
1% isn't going to make consumers buy these games less. It's just an annoyance, and yet another attempt to strike at the videogames industry.

 

[Ike_009]

Tax proposal for “violent” video games

Can we please end this baseless witch hunt on the gaming industry and this really is a modern day witch hunt.

Unless they are looking at the 2nd game in this review.
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/zero-punctuation/6723-Black-Knight-Sword-Hotline-Miami

 

[czc]

Tropico 4 is not violent.

 

[ViperGTI]

A Representative of Missouri, Republican Diane Franklin of Camdenton...

There is the keyword... Pretty much sounds like a standard crazy proposal from a Republican. Watch Jon Stewart / Steven Colbert and you'll see crazy is pretty much standard practice over on the Republican side (and Fox news).