Government Censorship

The government should not control the content of television shows and limit the amount of weekly violence shown. The responsibility of controlling the viewing of television shows expressing acts of violence should specifically be in the hands of parents. Parents are becoming too reliant upon governmental provisions with respect to raising their children and television violence is becoming an excuse for criminal acts. Children, especially younger children, are impressionable, but with proper guidance from a parental source in regards to television viewing, kids are not likely to act out violent television images.

In an article written by Kevin D. Browne and Catherine Hamilton-Giachritsis out of Lancet, dated 2/19/2005, Volume 365 in issue 9460, on page 702 a collection of research shows short-term effects increasing the likelihood of aggressive or fearful behavior in younger children, especially in boys. It also shows research stating that there is a very weak correlation directly between media violence and acted out aggression. This article basically states that violent media being watched by children does impression and arouse some, but does not associate strongly with violent acts. This would help explain the fact that millions of kids watch violent television shows and remain nonviolent.

In a book about child psychology titled Infants, Children, and Adolescents, fifth edition, written by Laura E. Berk, several strategies are stated to regulate children’s television viewing and computer use that would fair beneficial in turning children away from committing violent acts depicted by the media. They are limit television viewing and computer use, refrain from using television or computer time to reward or punish children, encourage child-appropriate television and computer experiences, view television with children, helping them understand what they see, link televised content to everyday learning experiences, model good television and computer practices, and use a warm, rational approach to child rearing. These approaches should help children be able to understand the differences between what is right and wrong in regards to what they are viewing.

Children, especially younger children, are impressionable, but with proper guidance from a parental source in regards to television viewing, kids are not likely to act out violent television images.