Gaming: Violent Content = Violent Children?

Abstract

Gaming is often viewed as one of the more negative aspects of children’s online lives, with the blame for its negative impact placed squarely on the violent and sexual content provided in many games. However, even though gut feeling and knee jerk reaction might make this causal link, the author shows that there is little rigorous evidence to show that this is the case. Through discourse with young people he broadens the evidence base away from a focus on simply finger pointing at “inappropriate” content toward what young people talk about as their concerns around gaming. Issues such as excessive screen time, legitimised abuse and the potential for grooming have all been discussed by young people, and such risks lie not simply in “age inappropriate” gaming but across all manner of perfectly innocuous games. When abuse could result from a game such as Minecraft rather than Call of Duty, it is clear that prevention once again will not address the concerns. However, the author also makes the point that, while we focus upon the negatives, there are also many positive aspects to young people’s gaming habits, and that these should not be forgotten in the rush to keep them “safe.”