In 2005, California State Senator Leland Yee proposed a law restricting the sale of violent video games to minors. The bill stalled; but once the the PTC's California Grassroots chapters got involved, it got moving towards passage again' and was eventually signed into law.

Grassroots chapters nationwide had success as well. Thanks to them, several other states - Michigan, Illinois, and Oklahoma among them - proposed and passed similar laws protecting children.

The video game industry opposed such laws - even though in many cases, the laws merely enforced the guidelines the Electronic Software Ratings Board and the gaming industry itself already had in place - and hired legions of high-priced lawyers to battle the laws in court. The video game industry was successful in getting an appeals court to overturn California's law; but once again, the PTC's Grassroots members swung into action.

Through public education efforts, letters to their representatives on the state level and in Congress, and participation in the PTC’s “secret shopper” campaign, PTC members turned the tide and an appeal was filed with the Supreme Court. Such Grassroots participation is a perfect demonstration of democracy in action; by writing to Congress or helping with the "secret shopper" campaign, individuals - even children and teens - are able to take actions which may influence the decisions of the highest court in the land. The devotion and hard work of PTC members that makes the Parents Television Council the effective organization it is in protecting children from explicit content in entertainment.

To learn more about PTC’s Video Game campaign, click here.