CDC to Examine Effect of Video Games on Children

[axia777]

The politicians are at it again. Today Senator Joe Lieberman (right), along with Senators Hillary Clinton, Sam Brownback and Rick Santorum proudly announced that a committee has approved their legislation that would spark new research by the CDC on the effects of media and video games on children.

Senators Joe Lieberman (CT), Sam Brownback (KS), Hillary Rodham Clinton (NY), and Rick Santorum (PA) today announced that the Senate Health Education Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee has approved the Children Media Research and Advancement (CAMRA) Act, which they first introduced in May 2004. Senators Richard Durbin (IL) and Evan Bayh (IN) are also co-sponsors of the legislation. The bill goes to the Senate next for consideration.

CAMRA will enable the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which will work in coordination with the National Institutes of Health (NIH), to research "the effects of viewing and using electronic media, including television, computers, video games and the Internet on children's cognitive, social, physical, and psychological development."

"Today's vote by the HELP Committee is a big step toward helping parents get the information they need about the effect of media on their children," commented Lieberman. "America is a media-rich society, but despite the flood of information, we still lack critical information. As policymakers - and as parents - we have a responsibility to examine the effects of media on our children, a responsibility this legislation can better enable us to fulfill. No one is looking out, in a systematic way, for cumulative impact of today's newer electronic media on our children. The questions about the effects - positive or negative - of media on our children's health, education and development are too important to go unasked and unanswered."

"As parents and policymakers, we need to better understand the effect of the constant barrage of media on our children. Our children are growing up immersed in interactive, digital and wireless media that is constantly changing. We need better, more current research to study the impact of the new media dominating our kids' lives and we need to make sure our research keeps up with the times as technology continues to advance," added Clinton.

The senators also cite a recent report by the Kaiser Family Foundation, which notes that "the rapid changes in our media environment have not been accompanied by a similar growth in our knowledge of how new media may impact children's cognitive, social, emotional or physical development."

Although CAMRA does not seek restrictions on electronic media or video games, a report in Cnet (News.com) suggests that it could be used to justify anti-game legislation if research does find that playing video games can be harmful to children. All of these violent video games bills that have been found unconstitutional could suddenly find new life if that happens.

"Down the road when--if there is some sort of finding that there is harm in this--then we're going to see calls to regulate speech because of the potential harm," said Marv Johnson, legislative counsel to the American Civil Liberties Union. "That's where there's going to be a problem."

http://biz.gamedaily.com/industry/feature/?id=12069

This would be freaking halarious if it were not so d@mn insulting to everything in the games industry. Of course violent games are BAD FOR CHILDREN!! Hey, Parents, do not let you d@mn kids play violent games!! Common sense people!! As for games being like drugs or disease that is so much cr@p!! These politicians are obviously so desperate for something to get on their soap box about because elections are next year!!! LOL!!!! Oh yah, did I mention this is just another facist control device? Yah, Clinton and Lieberman are FACIST!!! DOWN WITH ALL FACISTS!!!

[40s]

Attraction activates the same part of the brain as drugs, maybe we should bann that . Just stop playing M rated games you little basttards and they'll stop giving us shnit over it.

Is there a reason why you're always trying to bypass the curse filter? Next time I see you do this, points will be removed. ~ PBM ~

[axia777]

Please for the love of intelligence, use the SPELL CHECK!! They provide one you know, it is easy.

Your point valid though.

[Cera]

Heh, whatever happened to the "The Land of the Free (TM)" front that the US has its poor citizens mistakenly believing? What I don't get is why these parents/people who call for the banning want the government to tell them what to do and buy; and why they think that everyone should be told by the government what to buy.

And off topic, but whenever I hear or read the name, Rick Santorum, I think of Dan Savage and the web site he made.

[Ricokillercon]

Well maybe this study will only tell us what we already know...parents need to pay alittle more attention to their children before they do something stupid instead of after. It's only after a kid does something that parents start blaming everyone but themselfs for their kids behavior.

Also 12 year old are not suppose to be buying M rated games....parents (the people that sell these games to children are some what to blame as well) reallly need to keep track of the media thier kids are expose to.

Its not like these studies will do much to reduce violence in movies, games, and tv. If it sells people will make it. Parents are the ones that need to take the initiative and make sure that their children are not expose to the violece if they don't want that. There are alot of altenatives out there.

[40s]

Heh, whatever happened to the "The Land of the Free (TM)" front that the US has its poor citizens mistakenly believing? What I don't get is why these parents/people who call for the banning want the government to tell them what to do and buy; and why they think that everyone should be told by the government what to buy.

And off topic, but whenever I hear or read the name, Rick Santorum, I think of Dan Savage and the web site he made.

That freedom doesn't apply to things that can be construed as harmful IE drugs. But no one is talking about banning games like Australia does, they're talking about slapping an adult label on them. This would kill the market but it's technically not making anything illegal.

I still think things are better than the UK where they have cameras on many corners. The reason many American feel safe enough to vote for a whacko like bush is because of the checks and balances we have here. You vote for the wrong people in UK and they can do whatever the hell they want relatively.

[PS3 rocks]

This would be freaking halarious if it were not so d@mn insulting to everything in the games industry. Of course violent games are BAD FOR CHILDREN!!

I disagree

Also 12 year old are not suppose to be buying M rated games....parents (the people that sell these games to children are some what to blame as well) reallly need to keep track of the media thier kids are expose to.

I'm 13 and half my games are M or MA could you please tell me exactly how violent games affect kids?

[PeanutButterMunky]

They should study how violent movies affect children. Those are a thousand times more realstic than any video game could ever be. Then they should ban R movies and see how America likes that.

[Ricokillercon]

This would be freaking halarious if it were not so d@mn insulting to everything in the games industry. Of course violent games are BAD FOR CHILDREN!!

I disagree

Also 12 year old are not suppose to be buying M rated games....parents (the people that sell these games to children are some what to blame as well) reallly need to keep track of the media thier kids are expose to.

I'm 13 and half my games are M or MA could you please tell me exactly how violent games affect kids?

Do your parents allow you to buy these games? If yes then there really isn't a problem. If you where able to buy the games on your own they would not be rated M, they would be rated Teen or lower. The argument is that if a child sees a violent action they are more likely to emulate that action. (i really don't believe this) if the parent were looking out for their child in the first place this would not happen.

My real problem is people blaming these violent games for their childrens violents actions.


Edit: There is a reason for the rating system...if it's ignored whats the point of it.

[PeanutButterMunky]

The argument is that if a child sees a violent action they are more likely to emulate that action. (i really don't believe this)

It depends on their age. There have been studies done showing very young children emulating what they watched on TV. They played a video of an adult punching and beating the snot out of this clown toy. Then they put the children in a room with the same clown toy and the children began mimicking the actions of the adult...and doing even more things to it than the adult was. These were VERY young children, mind you, but children are very impressionable.

Edit: There is a reason for the rating system...if it's ignored whats the point of it.

Of course there's a reason for it. You should take a psychology class.

[Ricokillercon]

The argument is that if a child sees a violent action they are more likely to emulate that action. (i really don't believe this)

It depends on their age. There have been studies done showing very young children emulating what they watched on TV. They played a video of an adult punching and beating the snot out of this clown toy. Then they put the children in a room with the same clown toy and the children began mimicking the actions of the adult...and doing even more things to it than the adult was. These were VERY young children, mind you, but children are very impressionable.

Edit: There is a reason for the rating system...if it's ignored whats the point of it.

Of course there's a reason for it. You should take a psychology class.

Yes...but these young children should not be able to get their hands on this material in the first place...hence the rating system. They just need to enforced them, and parents need to be more mindful of their children.

Oh and yes i have taken a psychology course, and yes i've gone over the case study you have cited. Next i'm taking Brain and Behavior(its what is call in my university) wich actually deals with the mechanism of stimuli on the brain and different chemicals of the brain ect.

[Verano]

They should study how violent movies affect children. Those are a thousand times more realstic than any video game could ever be. Then they should ban R movies and see how America likes that.

You make things really simple, psychology, the study of behavior and mental processes.
What Psychologists do:
1.Observe behavior
2.Explain behavior
3.Predict behavior
4.Change behavior
Remember,Jealousy is a fear of loss.

[highazz_vegeta]

UK release added, info updated