**Computer Gaming World & government abuse**  
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    Computer Gaming World (Golden Empire Publications)
    June, 1990, Number 72, Page 8
    Editorial by Johnny L. Wilson
    
                            It CAN Happen Here
    
      Although Nobel Prize-winning novelist Sinclair Lewis is probably best known
    for 'Main Street', 'Babbitt', 'Elmer Gantry', and 'Arrowsmith', my personal
    favorites are 'It Can't Happen Here' and 'Kingsblood Royal'.  The latter is an
    ironic narrative in which who suffers from racial prejudice toward the black
    population discovers, through genealogical research, that he himself has black
    ancestors.  The protagonist experienced a life-challenging discovery that
    enabled Lewis to preach a gospel of civil rights to his readership.
    
      The former is, perhaps, Lewis' most lengthy novel and it tells how a radio
    evangelist was able to use the issues of morality and national security to form
    a national mandate and create a fascist dictatorship in the United States.  As
    Lewis showed how patriotic symbolism could be distorted by power-hungry elite
    and religious fervor channeled into a political movement, I was personally
    shaken.  As a highschool student, reading this novel, for the first time, I
    suddenly realized what lewis intended for his readers to realize.  "It" (a
    dictatorship) really CAN happen here,  There is an infinitesimally fine line
    between protecting the interests of society and encumbering the freedoms of the
    self-same society in the name of protection.
    
      Now it appears that the civil liberties of game designers and gamers
    themselves are to be assaulted in the name of protecting society.  In recent
    months two unrelated events have taken place which must make us pause: the
    raiding of Steve Jackson Games' offices by the United States Secret Service,
    and the introduction of A.B. 3280 into the California State Assembly by
    Assemblyperson Tanner.
    
      On March 1, 1990, Steve Jackson Games (a small pen and paper game company)
    was raided by agents of the United States Secret Service.  The raid was
    allegedly part of an investigation into data piracy and was, apparently,
    related  to the latest supplement from SJG entitled, GURPS Cyberpunk (GURPS
    stands for Generic Universal Role-Playing System).  GURPS Cyberpunk features
    rules for a game universe analogous to the dark futures of George Alec Effinger
    ('When Gravity Fails'), William Gibson ('Neuromancer'), Norman Spinrad ('Little
    Heroes'), Bruce Sterling ('Islands in the Net'), and Walter Jon Williams
    ('Hardwired').
    
      GURPS Cyberpunk features character related to breaking into networks and
    phreaking (abusing the telephone system).Hence, certain federal agents are
    reported to have made several disparaging remarks about the game rules being a
    "handbook for computer crime".  In the course of the raid (reported to have
    been conducted under the authority of an unsigned photocopy of a warrant; at
    least, such was the only warrant showed to the employees at SJG) significant
    destruction allegedly occurred.  A footlocker, as well as exterior storage
    units and cartons, were deliberately forced open even though an employee with
    appropriate keys was present and available to lend assistance.  In addition,
    the materials confiscated included: two computers, an HP Laserjet II printer, a
    variety of computer cards and parts, and an assortment of commercial software.
    In all, SJG estimates that approximately $10,000 worth of computer hardware and
    software was confiscated.
    
      The amorphous nature of the raid is what is most frightening to me.  Does
    this raid indicate that those who operate bulletin board systems as individuals
    are at risk for similar raids if someone posts "hacking" information on their
    computer?  Or does it indicate that games which involve "hacking" are subject
    to searches and seizures by the federal government?  Does it indicate that
    writing about "hacking" exposes one to the risk of a raid?  It seems that this
    raid goes over the line of protecting society and has, instead, violated the
    freedom of its citizenry.  Further facts may indicate that this is not the
    case, but the first impression strongly indicates an abuse of freedom.
    
      Then there is the case of California's A.B 3280 which would forbid the
    depiction of any alcohol or tobacco package or container in any video game
    intended primarily for use by minors.  The bill makes no distinction between
    positive or negative depiction of alcohol or tobacco, does not specify what
    "primarily designed for" means, and defines 'video game' in such a way that
    coin-ops, dedicated game machines, and computer games can all fit within the
    category.
    
      Now the law is, admittedly, intended to help curb the use and abuse of
    alcohol and tobacco among minors.  Yet the broad stroke of the brush with which
    it is written limits the dramatic license which can be used to make even
    desirable points in computer games.  For example, Chris Crawford's 'Balance of
    the Planet' depicts a liquor bottle on a trash heap as part of a screen talking
    about the garbage problem.  Does this encourage alcohol abuse?  In 'Wasteland',
    one of the encounters involves two winos in an alley.  Does their use of
    homemade white lightening commend it to any minors that might be playing the
    game?
    
      One of the problems with legislating art is that art is designed to both
    reflect and cast new light and new perspectives on life.  As such, depiction of
    any aspect of life may be appropriate, in context.  Unfortunately for those who
    want to use the law as a means of enforcing morality, laws cannot be written to
    cover every context.
    
      We urge our California readers to oppose A.B. 3280 and help defend our basic
    freedoms.  We urge all of our readers to be on the alert for any governmental
    intervention that threatens our freedom of expression.  "It" not only CAN
    happen here, but "it" is very likely to if we are not careful.