Should violent video games be sold to minors?

The U.S. Supreme Court is scheduled to rule Monday on whether states can prohibit the sale or rental of violent video games to those under the age of 18.

A California law that would ban minors from buying violent video games has been ruled unconstitutional by federal court judges. Lawyers for the state argue that the law doesn't violate the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution protecting free speech.

The 2005 law has been challenged by the gaming industry, including the Entertainment Software Association. They argue that such a law could impact their sales. The video game industry brought in at least $18 billion US last year.

The industry has assigned ratings to its games since 1994. Many retailers have policies against selling or renting video games rated M for Mature to those under the age of 17.

In Canada, most provinces already have laws restricting the sale of Mature-rated titles to those under the age of 17, said Julien Lavoie, spokesman for the Entertainment Software Association of Canada.

Should governments be able to prevent minors from buying or renting violent video games? Let us know what you think.

(This survey is not scientific. It is based on readers' responses.)