INTERNET & VIOLENCE

Internet & Violence Video Games

Internet & Violence Video Games

Introduction

Although the United States has not historically been more violent than any other country, violence does play a particular role in the nation's conception of itself. When one observes the technology that impacts our daily lives, it is often reflected upon as a “new”, punctuated advancement. As technology has advanced, the issue of internet violence and its effects on youth has become an important issue of concern for policy makers. The issue of internet violence has garnered significant attention from the United States Congress. In 2000, for example, representatives of six different public health organizations (American Medical Association, American Academy of Pediatrics, American Psychological Association, American Psychiatric Association, American Academy of Family Physicians, and the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry) signed a joint statement delivered to the Congressional Public Health Summit arguing that “television, movies, music, and interactive games are powerful learning tools and highly influential media” (American Academy of Pediatrics, 2000). The joint statement also asserted that prior research has “pointed overwhelmingly to a causal connection between media violence and aggressive behavior in some children”. This paper discusses the effects of technology like internet and video games on young people.

Discussion

In analyzing games and culture of the young people, it is important to note one thing first and foremost, “where there are large amounts of money there are powerful people and agendas”. There occurs vagueness concerning whether violence in internet, computer games, and movies encourages violence in viewers, transforming them into a much violent character, or act like a escape valve that is healthy, making them less violent. The rhetoric about violence becomes even more intense and contradictory when the discussion turns to children. On the one hand, children are sometimes a source of violence as they prowl the streets in youth gangs and construct pipe bombs in their basements. On the other hand, children are the innocent victims of violence, suffering abuse at the hands of their parents and playmates, and playing computer games that contain violent acts and watching violent television shows and violent content on the internet (Ravitch & Viteritti, 2003).

In recent times, much of the focus has been on how violence in the media affects children. A child is seen as particularly exposed as children frequently are unable to notify the difference amid fantasy and real life. Television programs for children are observed as most violent, through animated videos averaging around 20 to 25 acts of violent in an hour. As compared to the prime-time programs it is five to ten times more. In addition, only some cartoons illustrate that committing violent acts would end up in repercussions. Even these cartoons can still possess effects that might be harmful as children are frequently unable connect the action in the commencement of a cartoon to some consequent repercussion it the conclusion of that cartoon (Shanahan & Morgan, 1999).

Video games are the latest addition to the marketing package targeting a captive young ...