Striking a blow against the validity of the self-regulatory practices of the video game industry, the Parents Television Council conducted a survey that found 19 percent of kids could buy Mature-rated games at retailers.

The PTC site says it sent kids between the ages of 12 and 16 to 109 stores in 14 states, and 21 of those stores sold M-rated games to kids. K-Mart and Sears were the easiest marks, failing to card 62 percent of the kids. GameStop and Toys R Us stopped every purchase attempt.

Take what the PTC has to say with a gigabyte of salt. It’s known to be an attention-hungry outfit that makes uninformed statements about games it hasn’t played.

The timing of the study is meant to sway public opinion on the verge of a Supreme Court hearing on a case involving a California law against peddling violent games to kids.

KIDS STILL AT RISK FROM ADULT VIDEO GAMES [Parents Television Council]

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