Police threat over children playing adult video games

sky news

Once again certain video games are the subject of adversly causing children to become sick and twisted individuals after prolonged exposure to those games containing mature themed content.

My view is that parents should be more savvy as to what their kids play both on and off-line. There have been various studies conducted over the years that reveal that such exposure can effect young children negatively.

originally posted by: Tindalos2013


Once again certain video games are the subject of adversly causing children to become sick and twisted individuals after prolonged exposure to those games containing mature themed content.

Parents should be held accountable in teaching their kids right from wrong and the difference between a game and real life. I think these issues should be worked into law enforcement community orientated policing programs (Im referring to law enforcement in the US where I am at).

Sadly we see larger numbers of parents who feel the school and the government should raise their children while the video games act as the babysitter.

Each person is responsible for his / her actions - not society.

a reply to: Tindalos2013

I believe mainstream TV and Facebook does more damage to kids than video games.

How many parents let their kids use Facebook before they are 13? My child is 10 and 95% of her classmates are on FB. That is more dangerous than a video game. I know of parents who ban games based on articles like Sky's (vested interests) but allow their kids to watch 15 or 18 rated movies or stuff on TV.

Can't get involved in a debate when this is the case with the majority of people.

I never used to have tv but caved and got Sky for the kids last year. They don't really watch it much so probably get rid again. But it shocks me at how much inappropriate content there is on Sky. And the PIN protection only kicks in on 18 rated movies/shows.

If we are going to slate video games for damaging society then we need to be fair and include the main perpetrators of TV and FB too.

originally posted by: daftpink
a reply to: Tindalos2013

I believe mainstream TV and Facebook does more damage to kids than video games.

I don't believe people can really be "damaged" in the way that people usually think of it. I mean, sure. It's probably not good for a 10 year old to play a FPS game. But I think some people are just born screwed up and they simply can't be "fixed". When they do crazy stuff, we tend to blame it on the stuff that (coincidentally) they were exposed to as kids.

Think about all the kids who go through hell on earth and turn out fine. I think it's scapegoating. Nobody wants to think their genes produced a monster.

a reply to: Xcathdra

Cops and the law have yet to make any real, positive change in society. I believe at least 90% of laws are absolutely useless and unnecessary.

What you call for will not bring about positive changes in respect to parents allowing their kids to essentially desensitize themselves to violence through graphic games, or even movies/TV for that fact. As noble as your suggestion is, I feel that it just lacks what is truly needed and instead imposes a dysfunctional apparatus on a situation created by a dysfunctional system.

Society must change itself. Not be policed. We have enough police doing too much as it is. We need social engineers. Not cops.

So let's just be honest with each other and face the fact that these games really shouldn't exist in the first place, for anyone. But, because society is sick and generally twisted, this is what we get.

Maybe we should just teach everyone to take responsibility for what they think and do. Be real with each other and ourselves and stop relying on an "authority" to do it for us.

a reply to: BrianFlanders

You're right, there are many contributing factors and all the negative facets of society play a part.

I don't think people are born screwed up however they can be born into screwed up lives.

Apart from in the case of psychopaths who are born with neurological deficits in EMPATHY. Most of the 1% probably fall into this category.

Well, the said difference is the direct action, where you in a game directly perform an action, compared to other media where you watch others action.

My kids have been playing video games most of their life, in the start children games, later more complex games with me on the side, and in the end they could choose for them self as they had learned what games are, simply just entertainment.

They are 17 and 21 and still play games on the side of their education and social activities.

Teach the kids and they will learn, and enjoy the time you spend on it.

a reply to: Tindalos2013

I think the combat videos have played a role in the minds of some kids. They have a perspective that joining the military and engaging in war seems like fun. Nice recruitment tool for the armed services.

a reply to: Mianeye

My kids have been playing computer games all their lives too, as have I.

I saw a bigger effect on them when they started watching tv. My daughter saw a scary movie at a friend's house and has had nightmares since and won't go into the kitchen alone as its away at the back of our house. It had a lasting effect on her but no one complains about scary movies the way they do video games.
My same daughter when 5 years old got distressed when watching the news with me. It was reporting about a segment in their War on Terror Campaign (cant remember specifics). There were shots of explosions, civilians crying explaining how their children and family had been bombed. People were running through the streets terrified. This was at 6pm on TV. My daughter got upset.
My 5 yr old daughter asked me, why does the news always wants to show us scary things? Is it because they want us to be afraid so we do as we are told?
Yes it is, I replied and pulled the TV aerial out of the wall.

I've let my kids play video games for years, I did stop GTA for a bit merely because of the language.

The boy is 13 now, prolly had access to call of duty, battlefield and any number of FPS for well over 6 years.

I can confirm that he loves football and plays that whenever and as much as he can, the teachers love him, he has heaps of friends and is certainly no weirdo. Would never have access to a gun here, he doesn't want access to a gun.

However, in America with your crazy gun laws, I can assure you, your kids see these games different, I mean, what kind of civilisation allows people to buy tech-9 or Uzi or ar-15 or any gun for no other design but to kill humans!! So your kids see these games different, mine see them like star wars your see them acted out daily!

But that's OK because because you have your 2nd!

originally posted by: WeRpeons
a reply to: Tindalos2013

I think the combat videos have played a role in the minds of some kids. They have a perspective that joining the military and engaging in war seems like fun. Nice recruitment tool for the armed services.

Americas Army is a pretty bloody good FPS which is a recruitment tool. Free to download and play it is shamelessly advertised as a recruitment tool.

Who cares if they join the army, my mates all came out of the mob with decent trades.

a reply to: Tindalos2013

I'm a poor boy so I've only got 2 cents to share.

Neglect goes both ways. They're focusing on the children, which is good, but they also need to focus on the young parents who have been playing these games since they were 13 or 14. While I'm past judging people, the fact is that even 1 or 2 hours spent playing a game is 1 or 2 hours lost that could have been spent with a child. Or 1 or 2 hours spent helping the parents around the house. Even volunteering in your community. It may seem like an insignificant amount of time to those who play these games, but every minute lost that could have been spent down here in reality land communicating and interacting with your family.........you can't get them back and they do add up over time.

Now, I'm not that old curmudgen who thinks it should be all about work, but what's so bad about having fun when it still allows you to be in constant contact with reality? Especially when you have kids. Some of these games are so realistic in the way they're made to look and act, I can kind of understand the draw. What I'll never understand though is how people can get so wrapped up in something that doesn't have reality as the base.

And yes, I get the irony. Right now you're thinking "You can say the same thing about ATS."

originally posted by: Sparkymedic

Cops and the law have yet to make any real, positive change in society. I believe at least 90% of laws are absolutely useless and unnecessary.

So long as people have your mindset we wont see improvement. It takes 2 to Tango which means communication in both directions is required. As for laws Law Enforcement has nothing to do with creating them (Legislative branch) and they have nothing to do with punishment or fines (judicial).

originally posted by: Sparkymedic
What you call for will not bring about positive changes in respect to parents allowing their kids to essentially desensitize themselves to violence through graphic games, or even movies/TV for that fact. As noble as your suggestion is, I feel that it just lacks what is truly needed and instead imposes a dysfunctional apparatus on a situation created by a dysfunctional system.

The point I was making is it establishes communications between the police and kids. That moves us forward into building trust and understanding each others view points.

originally posted by: Sparkymedic
Society must change itself. Not be policed. We have enough police doing too much as it is. We need social engineers. Not cops.

No cops? not everyone is going to be onboard with social engineering. What do you do when you remove the police and people decide to go crazy to see how many laws they can violate within a 30 minute time frame?

originally posted by: Sparkymedic
So let's just be honest with each other and face the fact that these games really shouldn't exist in the first place, for anyone. But, because society is sick and generally twisted, this is what we get.

I am a firm believer in choice and freedom. This is a communication issue and lack of interest by "some" parents in what their children are doing. Here in the states we have a rating system for computer / console games in terms of appropriate age for the specific game.

originally posted by: Sparkymedic
Maybe we should just teach everyone to take responsibility for what they think and do. Be real with each other and ourselves and stop relying on an "authority" to do it for us.

originally posted by: daftpink

I don't think people are born screwed up however they can be born into screwed up lives.

Apart from in the case of psychopaths who are born with neurological deficits in EMPATHY. Most of the 1% probably fall into this category.

Lots of people are born into screwed up lives, have everything against them, all the worst odds in every possible way and turn out fine. If simply being born into a screwed up life was what does it, it would be a sure thing and there wouldn't be any variation.

coddling and keeping your kid sheltered does way more harm then video games IMO. this is just a nanny state tightening its grip. might as well ban all nerf guns, air soft gun as those promote violence. get rid cars, simple because way more teens get killed from car crashes then video game caused violence. next step is implanting some kind of chip in all of us to make sure we don't break the rules, put in place by people on a power trip. i'm guessing some one with out a kid watched a propaganda film on videos games and came up with this idea.

originally posted by: WeRpeons
a reply to: Tindalos2013

I think the combat videos have played a role in the minds of some kids. They have a perspective that joining the military and engaging in war seems like fun. Nice recruitment tool for the armed services.

thats the exception rather than the rule. It can spark a interest in some true but when they get to that age to join said military they have enough sense to make a informed decision and not blindly join the army.

Personally video games never made me violent or want to go out and get a gun. Now HUNTING and sports made me think about weapons.

a reply to: daftpink

I agree. Facebook and social media is very very bad for children.

My 18 year old friend has her phone glued to her hand and eyes all the time. If we go to a movie theatre and watch a movie, 80% of the time she's on her phone on social media. If we're doing anything that doesn't require her hands, she's on social media.


Again, she's 18. So imagine a 10 year old on social media. Soon enough people won't even live on this planet. They will wake up with their phone's, and sleep with their phone. They'll all be brain dead.

a reply to: BrianFlanders

Yes Im not disputing that fact, just the fact that people / babies are BORN screwed up. I don't believe babies are born that way and subsequently there is no hope for them. Its the nature/nurture argument I guess.

I do believe we all have a path we can choose to take or not, but thats getting a bit metaphysical

a reply to: Tindalos2013

To all the " this made them violent" types in this thread.

Let's just establish some facts here since you are obviously quite confused.

You make your statements assuming that peace is the natural state of humanity.

This is a fallacy.

Humans are violent killers by nature.

Here I will prove it to you.

In nature what is the behavior of almost all animals with forward facing eyes?

Hint they are predators, the forward facing eyes are for judging distance so one can judge if they can pounce on their prey or not.

If we were naturally peaceful we would have eyes on the sides of our heads, to see trouble coming.

Just like all the calm peaceful plant eaters.

Predators are naturally violent, they kill for a living.

Hence we are hard wired to kill.

It is just good manners we don't do it more often than we do now.

I believe these games are actually good for society.

They allow us to appease our predatory and aggressive side on virtual targets instead of real ones

Just my 2 cents.