Video Game Regulations

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Recommended: The effects of video games on teenagers

Violence in video games is a topic that has always been talked about. It is said that violent video games are one of the largest causes of many violent crimes. Because of its tremendous controversy of whether it’s true or not I decided to do my research on this topic. In Mass Communication: Living in a Media World, Ralph E. Hanson questions whether video games are even considered a “mass medium” (247) and then comes to a conclusion that it is. Like Hanson I also happen to believe that its part of mass media for various reasons. That reasons that brings me to that assumption are the regulations in video games, they all express different messages, and bring in a lot of money.
Video games just like movies and music require regulations in order to be rated according to their content. Although the rules seem to be a little more rigid with videogames than they would be with movies and music. I always read and hear stories on the news that videogames contribute to teen violence. But I’m not sure I can agree with that because wouldn’t movies cause the same? Movies also contain violent substances that may be worse than videogames with the only difference that video games are more hands on and movies are not. Nevertheless movies are still showing an act of violence and you never hear anything about them causing a kid or teen to commit a crime. Even Steve Ogg which is the voice of Trevor Phillips in “Grand Theft Auto” says that “There’s a lot of intense stuff out there. Video games are just an easy scapegoat”. To me if anything “Violence exists because people exist” just like Jim Treacher says in an online article called “Video Games (STILL) Do Not Cause Violnce”.
I honestly don’t understand why all the blame goes to the videogame industri...

... middle of paper ...

... Debate. Game on. Retrieved from http://www.examiner.com/article/gta-v-voice- actors-speak-out-on-video-game-violence-debate

Thierer, A. D. (2003, July 14). Regulating Video Games: Parents or Uncle Sam? Cato
Institute. Retrieved from http://www.cato.org/publications/commentary/regulating- video-games-parents-or-uncle-sam

Treacher, J. (2013, September 23). Video games (still) do not cause violence. The Daily
Caller. Retrieved from http://dailycaller.com/2013/09/23/video-games-still-do-not-cause-violence/

Video games and age restrictions–the US and UK. Out-Law.Com. (2008, April).
Retrieved from http://www.out-law.com/page-5810

Violent video games and young people. Harvard Health Publications. (2010, October).
Retrieved from http://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletters/Harvard_Mental_Health_Letter/2010/October/violent-video-games-and-young-people

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