Bad influences for the youth today keep growing by the numbers. Violent games such as some video games have faced the law recently over alleged “bad influence” on the youth.

On Tuesday, the First Amendment Protection for video games received split opinions by the Supreme Court. The government and its endeavors to protect the youth from bad influences and other mediums trying to put across their rights seem to be facing off.

Buying and even renting violent video games to under 18 aged persons is prohibited by a 2005 California law. The law has however been put aside with the argument that the youth should only be restricted from sexual content that is obscene.

The reinstated Deputy State Attorney General Zackery Morazzini said to the court that California is not interested in the level of violence and defiance acquired by youth from the violent games, but it is interested in the well-being of the youth being protected from sexually explicit material that comes with some games.

A sentiment that raised critics among several, one Justice Scalia hit back in disagreements by asking what will be next after violence: drinking and smoking.

Another Justice Alito contradicted the statement by saying that the 21st century games are sophisticated and advanced and by the time the First Amendment was put across, they wouldn’t have been served by the same laws that protect books.

Americans spend a lot on video violent games every year, to be precise over $10 billion a year is used on purchase of video games.

Image Credit: