|
Presenters at ICVP’s September 2005 conference on preventing bullying and relational aggression alerted participants of the yet-to-be-released “Bully” video game. As a follow-up, ICVP offers the following information, suggested responses, action steps and resources to create meaningful dialogues on the general topic of violent video games.
Background
Take-Two Interactive, Inc., the parent company of San Andreas publisher Rockstar Games, has announced a delay in its release of the controversial “Bully” game. The game focuses on a year in the life of Jimmy Hopkins, a picked-on kid attending a private school who in turn becomes the bully. The companies are already under scrutiny for such products as “Grand Theft Auto.” Though Take-Two Interactive touts Bully as “humorous tongue-in-cheek storytelling,” numerous groups in the US and the UK have protested the release of the game. These advocates cite fears that the product will promote violence and make a game of bullying, a serious and endemic social phenomenon linked with numerous acts of crime, depression, substance abuse, suicide, and school failure across the globe.
Response
ICVP joins other violence prevention advocates in expressing grave concern over popular media and video games, which engage youth in simulated violence and reward them for their aggression within the game’s structure. While there is much debate over the impact of violent media on youth, research has not shown evidence of a link between playing violent video games and subsequent acts of violence. However, the Kaiser Family Foundation, through a meta-analysis of 35 research studies that included over 4000 participants found that “playing violent video games significantly increases physiological arousal and feelings of anger or hostility, and significantly decreases prosocial helping behavior.”
ICVP encourages parents and youth to strive for media literacy by making use of the resources below that provide information on media violence and how you can engage others in meaningful dialogues on the topic. As stated by the center for Media Literacy, “Media Literacy does NOT mean ‘don't watch,’ it means ‘watch carefully, think critically.’ "
Bullying Impacts and Prevention Strategies
It is important to remember that there is a cluster of risk factors for perpetrating bullying that include family, individual developmental, peer group and institutional issues. Violent video games cannot be seen as a sole cause or risk factor for bullying behavior. The increased interest and growing alarm over bullying is a result of greater attention in recent years of the role that bullying plays in both the aggressor and victim, and the potential results of each if left ignored. The impact and associated factors for bullies and those they bully include depression, suicidality, crime, negative perception of school, school failure, social isolation, and substance abuse.
During the last ten years, we have seen an increase in research studies devoted to youth violence in an attempt to identify strategies that do work in its prevention. Through evaluations of programs that focus on anger management, conflict resolution, teen dating violence, and school violence, we have learned that in order for youth violence prevention interventions to work they have to include strategies on individual, interpersonal, family and neighborhood/community levels. The most effective programs combine components that address both individual risk and environmental conditions, particularly building individual skills and knowledge, improving the social climate of the school, and changes in the types and levels of involvement in peer groups.
Illinois’ Bill
On July 26, 2005, Governor Blagojevich signed a bill to make Illinois the only state to ban the rental or sale of sexually explicit or violent video games to minors. The law will take effect in January, if it survives a challenge in federal court from the video game industry. In October, California followed suit and several other states are considering similar legislation.
Action Steps
In addition to becoming Media Literate, as described above, the following action steps are suggested:
- Parents and guardians need to know what their children are playing. If parents buy these games, they are helping to support the market and these games will continue to be produced. Don’t just say no - start a dialogue with your child. Take a stand as an educated consumer.
- Send a letter to Take-Two Interactive (parent company) and Rock Star Games expressing your concerns over this and other violent video games.
- Find out where the violent video games are sold in your community. Tell the managers and/or corporate headquarters why you won't be shopping with them.
- Find out where violent video games are NOT sold, take your business there, and commend the managers and/or corporate headquarters and tell them why they do have your business.
Resources
The following resource list is provided for informational purposes and does not constitute an endorsement of these sites.
The National Institute on Media and the Family
With a vision to build healthy families and communities through the wise use of media, they have developed the MediaWise® approach to build dialogue between parents and their children. http://www.mediafamily.org/
The Center for Media Literacy
Dedicated to promoting and supporting media literacy, CML works to help citizens, especially the young, develop critical thinking and media production skills needed to live fully in the 21st century media culture. http://www.medialit.org/focus/viol_home.html
The Kaiser Family Foundation
Their publication, “Key Facts: Children and Video Games,” the first fact sheet in a series on topics related to children, media and health, focuses on video games, including the best research on the impact of video games on young players. This non-profit, private foundation is an independent voice and source of facts and analysis for policymakers, the media, the health care community, and the general public.
http://www.kff.org/entmedia/3271-index.cfm
The Media Education Foundation
Game Over: Gender, Race & Violence in Video Games (2000), is the first educational documentary to address the fastest growing segment of the media through engaging questions of gender, race and violence. Game Over offers a refreshing dialogue about the complex and controversial topic of video game violence, and is designed to encourage high school and college students to think critically about the video games they play. This video is offered at a reduced price for high schools and non-profits: $95.00. http://www.mediaed.org/videos/MediaGenderAndDiversity
The National Youth Violence Prevention Resource Center
As a gateway for professionals, parents, youth and other interested individuals, the Resource Center offers the latest tools to facilitate discussion with children, to resolve conflicts nonviolently, to stop bullying, to prevent teen suicide, and to end violence committed by and against young people. http://www.safeyouth.org/scripts/topics/mediavio.asp
|
