Final answer:
In the 2011 U.S. Supreme Court case Brown v. Entertainment Merchants Association, the court struck down California's law restricting violent video game sales to minors, citing a violation of the First Amendment's freedom of speech.
Step-by-step explanation:
In 2011, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Brown v. Entertainment Merchants Association and concluded that California's law prohibiting the sale of violent video games to minors violated the First Amendment's freedom of speech. Therefore, the Supreme Court struck down restrictions on violent video game sales to minors. This landmark case underscored the principle that video games are a form of protected speech, just like books, plays, and movies, bringing clarity to the ongoing debate surrounding the regulation of violent content and child protection in media. While the court recognized the states' legitimate interest in protecting children from harm, it also found that California's law was not the least restrictive means to protect children from violent video games. By aligning video games with other protected forms of expression, the court upheld the principle that content-based restrictions on speech are subject to strict scrutiny and often strike down such laws unless they are narrowly tailored to serve a compelling governmental interest.