Violent Content Research Act of 2013

Violent Content Research Act of 2013 - Directs the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), and the Department of Health and Human Services (HSS), jointly, to undertake to enter into appropriate arrangements with the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) to conduct a comprehensive study and investigation of whether exposure to violent video games and programming has a harmful effect on children that is distinguishable from any other factors.

Requires such study and investigation to consider whether: (1) such exposure causes children to act aggressively or causes other measurable harm to children, has a disproportionately harmful effect on the behavior of children already prone to aggression or on the behavior of other identifiable groups of children, and has a harmful effect that is distinguishable from other types of media; (2) any identified harm has a direct and long-lasting impact on a child's well-being; and (3) current or emerging characteristics of violent video games have a uniquely harmful effect on the behavior of children, considering video games' concretely interactive nature.

Requires an identification of gaps in current research which, if closed, could provide information regarding any causal connection between such exposure and children's behavior.

Requires such agencies, in entering into any such arrangements, to request the NAS to report the results to Congress, FTC, FCC, and HSS.

[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 134 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

113th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 134

To arrange for the National Academy of Sciences to study the impact of 
     violent video games and violent video programming on children.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

             January 24 (legislative day, January 3), 2013

Mr. Rockefeller (for himself, Mr. Blumenthal, Mr. Coburn, Mr. Johanns, 
and Mr. Heller) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
   referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To arrange for the National Academy of Sciences to study the impact of 
     violent video games and violent video programming on children.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Violent Content Research Act of 
2013''.

SEC. 2. STUDY; NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 30 days after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Federal Trade Commission, the Federal Communications 
Commission, and the Department of Health and Human Services, jointly, 
shall undertake to enter into appropriate arrangements with the 
National Academy of Sciences to conduct a comprehensive study and 
investigation of--
            (1) whether there is a connection between exposure to 
        violent video games and harmful effects on children; and
            (2) whether there is a connection between exposure to 
        violent video programming and harmful effects on children.
    (b) Contents of Study and Investigation.--
            (1) Violent video games.--The study and investigation under 
        subsection (a) shall include--
                    (A) whether the exposure listed under subsection 
                (a)(1)--
                            (i) causes children to act aggressively or 
                        causes other measurable harm to children;
                            (ii) has a disproportionately harmful 
                        effect on children already prone to aggressive 
                        behavior or on other identifiable groups of 
                        children; and
                            (iii) has a harmful effect that is 
                        distinguishable from any negative effects 
                        produced by other types of media;
                    (B) whether any harm identified under subparagraph 
                (A)(i) has a direct and long-lasting impact on a 
                child's well-being; and
                    (C) whether current or emerging characteristics of 
                video games have a unique impact on children, 
                considering in particular video games' interactive 
                nature and the extraordinarily personal and vivid way 
                violence might be portrayed in such video games.
            (2) Violent video programming.--The study and investigation 
        under subsection (a) shall include--
                    (A) whether the exposure listed under subsection 
                (a)(2)--
                            (i) causes children to act aggressively or 
                        causes other measurable harm to children;
                            (ii) has a disproportionately harmful 
                        effect on children already prone to aggressive 
                        behavior or on other identifiable groups of 
                        children; and
                            (iii) has a harmful effect that is 
                        distinguishable from any negative effects 
                        produced by other types of media; and
                    (B) whether any harm identified under subparagraph 
                (A)(i) has a direct and long-lasting impact on a 
                child's well-being.
            (3) Future research.--The study and investigation under 
        subsection (a) shall identify gaps in the current state of 
        research which, if closed, could provide additional information 
        regarding any causal connection--
                    (A) between exposure to violent video games and 
                behavior; and
                    (B) between exposure to violent video programming 
                and behavior.
    (c) Report.--In entering into any arrangements with the National 
Academy of Sciences for conducting the study and investigation under 
this section, the Federal Trade Commission, the Federal Communications 
Commission, and the Department of Health and Human Services shall 
request the National Academy of Sciences to submit, not later than 15 
months after the date on which such arrangements are completed, a 
report on the results of the study and investigation to--
            (1) Congress;
            (2) the Federal Trade Commission;
            (3) the Federal Communications Commission; and
            (4) the Department of Health and Human Services.
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