Most people see a violent video game being sold and do not think twice about it. The sale of violent video games in our current system is normal. In 2008, 298.2 million video games were sold in the US, totaling $11.7 billion in revenue. Six of the top ten best-selling video games included violence, with four of the games carrying a "Mature" rating recommended for persons aged 17 and older (Procon). In June 2011, the case of Brown v. Entertainment Merchants Association California attempted to enforce a statute that gives a punishment for selling violent video games to minors (Herard 515). Entertainment Merchants Association took this statute to court saying it violated rights given to the people under the first amendment. Both sides of the case had a well constructed argument. The Supreme Court had a final decision of seven to two. Even though the decision was not very close, both sides need to be looked at to understand how the decision came about. The time prior to this case, violence due to videogames was being shown by the media more than ever. There was always a news article on the kid who beat up another kid because he learned it in the video game he just got. A game fell into the violent category if its depictions of violent acts (1) were rendered in a way that "[a] reasonable person. considering the game as a whole, would find appeals to a deviant or morbid interest of minors," (2) were "patently offensive to prevailing standards in the community as to what is suitable forminors," and (3) would cause "the game, on the whole, to lackserious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value for minors" (Herard 516). Brown wanted it to be harder for minors to get these violent videogames, and if the game was sold to a min... ... middle of paper ... ...ment: A Historical Timeline Of Children And Their Access To Pornography And Violence." Pace Law Review 33.1 (2013): 462-489. OmniFile Full Text Mega (H.W. Wilson). Web. 18 Nov. 2013. FORD, WILLIAM K.1. "The Law And Science Of Video Game Violence: What Was Lost In Translation?." Cardozo Arts & Entertainment Law Journal 31.2 (2013): 297-356. OmniFile Full Text Mega (H.W. Wilson). Web. 27 Nov. 2013. Herard, Ludwig. "Brown V. Entertainment Merchants Association 131 S. Ct. 2729 (2011)." Journal Of Art, Technology & Intellectual Property Law 22.2 (2012): 515-526. Academic Search Complete. Web. 14 Nov. 2013. ProCon.org. "Video Games ProCon.org" ProCon.org. 15 Oct. 2013. Web. 26 Nov. 2013. . Turner, W. B. (2011, July 10). Violent Video Games. Retrieved from Williambturner: http://www.williambturner.com/1/category/violent%20video%20games/1.html
...r easily purchase them without serious consideration for their youths wellbeing and evaluate for themselves if any videogames including violent ones, are beneficial for their children. Take for example “the case of the eight-year-old boy in Slaughter, Louisiana, who over the summer picked up a gun and killed his elderly caregiver after playing Grand Theft Auto IV”. At first glance it seems like the videogame might be the catalyst here, but upon closer inspection we can see that the big issue here is that there was the eight year old child had both unmonitored access to violent media that is intended for ages 17 and up, and unmonitored access to a loaded weapon. Adequate parenting in spite of the lack of supported scientific research being applied to this situation would have more than likely resulted in the survival of the elderly caregiver of the young boy.
Paulson, Ken. “How obscene is video game violence?” USA Today. USA Today, 2 November 2010. Web. 24 October 2011.
There are so many violent video games it’s hard to find a game without all the violence. If we don’t change the games our young people then they might not have a future. Some people believe video games keep kids of the streets. People don’t know that video games mold are young people monkey see monkey do most. You put your kid in front of a violent video game they will pick up something from that game if it’s good or not they will learn something from that game. Parents if you’re concerned about what kind of game your kid play then you should check the violence...
In the book “Violent Video Game Effects on Children and Adolescents: Theory, Research, and Public Policy,” the authors relay the general information concerning the history of violence in video games as well as the beginning of the issue of violence in video games (Anderson, Gentile, and Buckley 2007). They state that it was “during the 1990s that violent games truly
As we hear about shooting sprees at local high schools, people immediately begin to lay blame for the event on the video gaming industry. Critics then use these events to raise their voices against the violence that is portrayed in many of the popular video games. Critics proceed to try to ban the sale of these video games without having any real proof of their accusations. Video games do not contribute to youth violence because there is an excellent rating system in place, the simulated violence provides an outlet for aggression, and the research that critics use is flawed.
Those that oppose further restrictions of violent video games would argue that these types of games decrease violence in youth, while in reality they develop violent tendencies within young adults. The opposition believes that violent video games allow youth to let out their anger in a way that does not bring harm to others. However, recent Harvard studies show that 60% of middle school boys who have played at least one Mature-rated game, have physically hurt someone ("Video Games ProCon.org."). Video games influence the way youth act. By playing Mature-rated games, these middle school boys have learned that violence isn't unfavorable but, in fact, rewarded, therefore they act in the same way as the video game. The video game, rewards the boys for being able to carry out a violent task and therefo...
Violence in video games was never a hot topic until April 20th, 1999. After the Columbine High School shooting rocked the nation with its unbelievable random brutality, a shocked nation searched for answers. There must have been some reason for Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold’s bloody rampage. The nation needed a scapegoat for this horrible event, something to take the blame. A lot of the blame landed on the media, the music industry, and violent video games. The debate over how video games influence kids still continues. There are many opinions on how harmful or harmless video games really are. Recently, many legislators seem to have decided that video games are, in fact, very harmful to kids. Legislation is currently being created to restrict and censor violent video games. Traditionally, parents have been the ones responsible and in control of what their children were exposed to on the computer. Now legislators want to govern what kids are exposed to rather than trust this job to the parents. This is a departure from how other forms of media are governed. Kids are legally allowed to buy any kind of music regardless of parental advisories and to view any kind of violence on TV. It is the parents’ job to determine if their kids are allowed to listen to that music or watch that TV. It should remain the same way with video games. It is unethical to take these choices out of the parents’ hands. It is the parents’ responsibility and right to raise their children how they see fit. However, the industry also has an important role to play. The music industry puts parental advisories on music content parents may find inappropriate and parents are informed of channel content when they sign up for cable. Likewise, the game industry needs to improve upon their methods of informing parents of the content in their games. Parents should be responsible for regulating the types of games their kids are exposed to, however, the video game industry has a responsibility to accurately and honestly communicate the level of violence depicted in their games.
Gentile, D.A., & Anderson, C.A. (2003). Violent video games: The newest media violence hazard. In D. Gentile (Ed.) Media Violence and Children (pp. 131-152)
Tracy L. Dietz carefully analyzed 33 popular Nintendo and Sega Genesis video games and by doing so she has come to realization that the case she is studying requires to focus on every possible scenarios of the case and examining it contextually is the only way for it to be fully understood (Yin 546). According to the article, one of the most common theme of the studied popular Nintendo and sega genesis games were violence. The games were reviewed to determine whether or not aggression or violence was part of the game and if so, if it was a socially acceptable or normal form of aggression such as that found in sports, or if it was directed specifically at women. Dietz states that, “ The remaining 79% of the games included some type of aggression or violence , ranging from aggression found in sports games to criminal victimization (Dietz 436).” The quote shows that almost every game that was studied had violence as a part of the game, between both genders. Dietz also states that, “ Twenty-one percent of the games included some form of aggression or violence directed specifically at women. Typically these included the violent victimization of a woman that began the game (Dietz 437)”. The author follows it up with, “ Finally, nearly half of the games (N = 16) were found to have violence or aggression directed specifically at other characters. These games typically involved some type of fighting, however, several included aggressive activities that were directed at non-human like characters (Dietz 437)”. This two quotes can be supported by a very popular game called Mortal Kombat 2. The violence in Mortal Kombat 2 is quite graphic and very “realistic”.The game has numerous fighting features which are considered as too “graphic” for the players to handle. Even though this game provides the players to choose
Video games are a rapidly growing industry. There are nearly two games sold for every household in America each year (Anders 271). The vast majority of these are sold to adults, but there is no national law that prohibits minors from buying violent video games. A few states have legislation pending that will prevent this, but the fact is that minors do have access to violent video games. There is a voluntary rating system implemented by the ESRB, where games are rated based on their content. The games that are rated Mature are not supposed to be sold to anyone under seventeen and Adults Only titles, but “some retailers do not impose such limitations” (Anders 271). The bottom line is that minors do have access to these violent games.
It is not a well-known fact that since 1994, in the US, video game sales have increased an estimated 204%, while crime has fallen 37% (“Violent Video Games”). Video games create an outlet for an alternative reality for expressing aggression, rather than in the real world. Simulated violence that is shown to the public through video games is advantageous in numerous ways. Video games are extremely beneficial and safe because they provide kids with useful, real-world skills, they help gamers to solve scientific problems, and there are limits placed on them.
“Contrary to the claims that violent video games are linked to aggressive assaults and homicides, no evidence was found to suggest that this medium was a major (or minor) contributing cause of violence in the United States.” (Markey, 290)
The video games perception is somewhat new in this modern society. In spite of they often to be entertaining, the contents have become more violent and troubling as computing technology has become much more advanced. Today, the popularity of violent video games has caused a growth in controversy. Parents and experts feel that some games are just too fiercely, and they request the government to regulate the sales of these games. On the other hand, I completely think violent video games do not cause an expansion in aggression in adolescents is caused by an exaggeration of the effects of violent video games and this plan is indeed pointless.
First things first, video games causing violence is objectively wrong. Mental health and past experiences have to be taken into account when determining the cause for violence. Take Adam Lanza and the Sandy Hook shooting. Lanza was a twenty year-old who was diagnosed with Asperger’s in 2005. According to Pilkington’s article on theguardian, investigators found “photocopies of newspaper articles on shootings of children dating back to 1891” and “a spreadsheet recording mass murders over the years.” It was also stated in the article that Lanza was “obsessed with mass murder.” Pilkington’s article goes on to say that, although Lanza had been diagnosed with Aspergers, “he declined to take any medication for his condition and would not engage
With the improvements in graphics, the content of the game became more and more detailed and realistic. Visually violent actions can now be displayed on the screen. Images of blood, flying body parts, and gore have been integrated into every aspect of today's video games. Violence has always been a common factor in many games, but with the improvements in graphics and capabilities of gaming consoles, a growing number of people are becoming concerned about the effects on our children and society. VIOLENCE IN VIDEO GAMES