In 2005, I was working with two graduate students on a research called “Do Parents Know What Video Games Their Children Are Playing?” – the proposal was actually accepted by SITE Conference, unfortunately the grad students bailed out at the last minute, and it was not presented.

I am glad to see that others have the same concern and have made news front with the issue. In the Yahoo! News report: US Kids Find It Easy To Buy Adult-Rated Videogames, I was able to verify my hunch.

72 percent of parents know little or nothing about the rating system overall, and many cannot not identify the meanings of specific ratings such as AO (Adults Only) and EC (Early Childhood).

The annual survey by the National Institute on Media and the Family reported that out of 1360 children surveyed, 86% of minors play video games at home (US). The 2007 survey showed 50% of 12 year-old (undercover) were successful in buying M rated titles like Grand Theft Auto and Scarface, compared to 66% of 15 year-old. Only 55% of retailers effectively banned the sale of “M” rated video to the underage (17 and below).

“Any parent who is paying attention cannot help but question the credibility of a ratings system employed by an industry that seems more eager to circumvent it,” it added.It also found that video games were the source of arguments, in 38 percent of families, between parents and children about the time spent playing.

There is a second Yahoo! News report on TV, Film and Game Violence Seen as a Threat.

Looks like L. Rowell Huesmann (of Univ of Michigan) must have done a meta analysis study, since he “examined 50 years of research” on the impact of violence in the media. The conclusion? Exposure to violent electronic media is hazardous to public wellbeing, second only to cigarette smoking (which leads to lung cancer). Gender difference is not a factor at all. The report is published in Journal of Adolescent Health. (Why do these reports seldom contain reference citation?)

Some statistics reported are:

• Children spend an average of 3 hours watching TV per day
• More than 60% contain of TV program contain some violence, and 40% of which showing extreme violence
• 83% of home with children has video game units

“The research clearly shows that exposure to virtual violence increases the risk that both children and adults will behave aggressively,” said Huesmann, adding it could have a particularly detrimental effect on the well-being of youngsters. Although not every child exposed to violence in the media will become aggressive, he said it does not diminish the need for greater control on the part of parents and society of what children are exposed to in films, video games and television programs.

Don’t get me wrong, I am all for “proper” use violence in video games (are you surprised? Go read my book chapter when it come out). No-one will want to watch Star Wars and Lord of the Rings without the good guys with serious ability to “kick some butts,” so to speak.) Gamers are no difference, when I play LOTR Online, I want to do all the superhero cool-elf things.

But spare me the unnecessary bloodshed and gore for violence sake… like Hitman, Manhunt, and GTA. Call a spade, a spade. If video game companies (the like of RockStar) are trying to make a fast cash, say so, and don’t hide behind “free speech” and “video game is an art”.