Does violence in video games lead to real-life violence? This has been a hotly discussed and controversial topic for many years, to the point that it has reached the Supreme Court. If you happen to live in or near San Francisco, the Commonwealth Club will be hosting a debate on this topic on Thursday March 17, 2011, and all are invited.

In Iowa, a 32-year-old man may spend 20 years in prison for possession of Japanese manga and will face penalties under the PROTECT Act (18 U.S.C. Section 1466A). Christopher Handley is still in big trouble because of the manga he purchased from Japan in May 2006 that the government claimed was obscene and depicted minors engaged in sexual acts.

Luckily for Handley, he no longer has to face the court system alone as the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund has decided to provide their expertise as a consultant to the defense and provide funds for use to support in obtaining…

The New York Times reported Tuesday (August 21, 2007) that attempts by state legislatures to restrict sales of certain videogames uniformly fail:

Citing the Constitution’s protection of free speech, federal judges have rejected attempts to regulate video games in eight cities and states since 2001. The judge in a ninth place, Oklahoma, has temporarily blocked a law pending a final decision. No such laws have been upheld.

It’s worth noting the following quote from 2001 by Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Richard A. Posner, author of the majority opinion for the first major case against videogames…