Earlier this week, top officials from the European Union discussed the possibility of convincing all EU states to adopt video game laws that would "prevent [and] ban violent video games."
Many EU members already have some sort of video game legislation preventing the sale of adult rated titles to minors below the age of 16. However, EU Justice and Affairs Commissioner Franco Frattini believes that much more can be done. "What we can do is to raise awareness about the sensitivity of the issue and also to increase and to encourage… measures to be taken in a practical way by police authorities, particularly about checking the identity of the minors…. The protection of children cannot have borders."
Frattini believes that violence in video games affect children in negative ways. He continued, "A certain degree of linkage between the growing violence among the younger generation and the growing diffusion of violent games exists."
If the EU passes wide ranging laws restricting game content or prohibiting sales of adult oriented video games to minors, it will mean a loss of potential sales to the game industry. Unlike in the United States, where these types of laws have generally failed, such restrictive laws may face a less heated battle in Europe.
