Children and Videogames


DrMandy's avatar
I'm gonna give my two cents, you give your two cents, in the end there'll be four cents.

So the GTA franchise is pretty popular. I remember playing two of the games when I was really young. However, do videogames have any negative impact on children?

Yes, but they shouldn't.

Let me state right now that I don't think it's the game's fault for any behavior or language picked up by children.

And yes, I know, some kids will pick up on certain words, behaviors, etc., then when questioned will say, "Oh I learned it from X videogame." However, even then, I don't think it's the game's fault.

If you turn most game cases onto the back, there will be a rating in the bottom left-hand corner. They range EC, E, E10, T, M, and AO, or RP but we won't focus on that right now. EC is for early children, so these games are usually educational; E is for everyone; E10 is for everyone ten or older (and it makes all the seven-year-olds feel like the bad boy for playing it); T is for teens; M is for mature; AO is for adults only, so anyone 18 and older. I bring this up because ratings tend to be ignored.

Now, another really important thing to remember: children are impressionable. When they are born, they just work on growing and observing. They watch your behavior, they listen to your voice, they need to learn a language from scratch, they need to learn how to walk, there is so much for them to pick up on. If a young child grows up with parents who have sailors' mouths, the kid is going to curse like there's no tomorrow. For example, one of my classmates from my English class went to a Catholic School, and his parents used to say "Goddammit" quite frequently. One day he climbed to the top of the playground and shouted, "Goddammit!" When Mommy and Daddy swear, the child swears (unless he or she is instructed not to).

As a result, if the parents decide they're okay with letting their children play videogames, it's their responsibility to do the research. Look up the rating of each game and don't just buy your kid any old game unless they know they can't say X, Y, or Z and they can't do A, B, and C.

It isn't the videogame's sole fault a kid learned how to do something or a certain word by playing it. The kid may have LEARNED X action or Word Y from the game, but that shouldn't really be the game's fault. When the developers are working on a game, its their job to make this game as raunchy/scary/challenging/story driven as the game demands. For example, a Family Guy videogame would be very raunchy, a Silent Hill game would be very scary (or as scary as they could, if it doesn't scare you personally then it's not the end of the world), a Zelda videogame would be fairly challenging, and Alice: Madness Returns is very story-driven. During none of these videogames did the developers stop and think, "Oh boy golly, what if this game isn't good for really young children?" or "Gee willikers, what if a five-year-old picks up a swear word from this game? Maybe we should tone it down!"

Unless the game is aimed at kids, it's not going to have kids in mind. T, M, and AO games may have things that parents won't want their kids seeing or hearing. If a kid is really little, he or she may pick up on certain things in the video game, like language or actions. The parents should definitely have to decide what they're okay with their kids playing; it's their job to raise their kids, and if they pick up on something, the parents should take the blame and not call the company because, "MY FIVE-YEAR-OLD SON LEARNED THIS CURSE WORD FROM YOUR M RATED GAME HOW COULD YOU!?"

Well that's my two cents. Now how about yours? If a kid picks up a curse word or a certain action from a video game, is it the parents' fault for not paying attention to the ratings or is it the videogame's fault - regardless of rating - for a kid picking up on certain behaviors or words? Or are we just all overreacting and kids don't pick up on anything from videogames? Tell me what you think!
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Nintendo-Dreamer's avatar
When I was 7-years-old, my dad would rent Mortal Kombat for me.  At the age of 9, I had a cable box in my room with HBO, Cinemax and Showtime.  When I was 11-years-old, I spent many days aiming for head shots in Goldeneye 007.  Stone Cold Steve Austin was my hero at age 12.  And by the age of 15, I would snipe innocent by-standers in Grand Theft Auto III.

During my 28 years on this planet, I have uttered very few curse words.  I have never punched or hit anyone, let alone committed any crimes.  My interests are charity and helping others to practice good health.  I hug my mom, kiss her, and tell her I love her whenever I see her.

I don't consider myself a good person, but I think I turned out alright.  I'm not so sure that violent video games encourage bad behavior in children.  If anything, they are a great way to relieve stress.  I agree the mental images of murder, and other violent acts, can be harmful for someone who has mental health issues or psychological problems.  But you can't blame violent actions on fictional video games.

When I was a child, I would play violent video games for hours, and I never had the desire to harm anyone.  If all it takes is a violent video game to cause bad behavior, then maybe an underlying problem is to blame—psychological problems, bad parenting, etc.
TheNekoNextDoor's avatar
I remember hearing some boys in my class talking about Call of Duty when they were in Year 6. (about 10-11) I always used to think they were too young for that game.
But, I was playing The Sims 2 when I was 11 (more coming up to my 12th birthday)...
pokefan2012's avatar
Isn't the Sims 2 rated a 12, though? I mean, the difference wasn't even a year, we can afford to be a little flexible so don't feel bad for being a little too young :) In any case, don't compare it to 10-11 year-olds playing 18+ games- that's not being flexible, it's just inappropriate.
TheNekoNextDoor's avatar
Yeah. I shouldn't compare it to people the same age playing Call of Duty or something like that :P
DaphfloconMojo's avatar
There is a rating. It's not there for nothing. It is the parent's fault if they let their kids play a M game if they are 13.

People who blame video game for kid's bad behavior are stupid. Tv shows can be even worst, AND other kids at school too...



they should stop blaming video games for the responsability they didn't took correctly.
Powerglove42's avatar
I think that letting kids play these games is exceptionally stupid, as you said.





....Yeah, that's all I really have to say...
Bryd013's avatar
Usually, it's self-control that is in connection to a game's negative influence on someone, let alone a child. Whoever says that video games are to blame for society's problems, is an idiot.
FallenAngelOfCrimson's avatar
Let's see here, I was 12 when I got Super Smash Bros. Brawl and The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. They were rated T, I could handle it, then again, it's Wii we're talking about here, family console.......... heheh........ Now I'm 13, I don't like Violence and Gore so much, so I don't play those M games.
playstationfanboy12's avatar
not all m rated games are violent

persona 4 is rated m and theres only mild gore nothing ott


sometimes it gets a M rating due to bad launguage or something like that
FallenAngelOfCrimson's avatar
Yeah, I know that as well, I forgot to add that in there. I don't like foul language either...... :/
playstationfanboy12's avatar
FallenAngelOfCrimson's avatar
If I mind you to ask? That what you mean?
I don't like it so much.......... it depends on the use of context. In media, I don't like it, I ESPECIALLY don't like it when someone directs it TOWARDS you in real life. That's why I don't like foul language, it's a bad example for kids. I'm 13, I'm not allowed to say those kind of words, the CLOSEST thing I said that was foul was when I was playing Mario Party 9 and the computer player was beating me. I said "SCREW YOU!" I got in trouble for saying that since my parent's were around, I said that like a year ago.
Hurricaneclaw's avatar
So, this entire thing was basically saying it's not the game's fault, it's the parents ignoring the rating?