Missing, Abducted and Exploited Children Law Enforcement Presentation

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VIDEO GAMES AND CHILDREN
Virtual Playground vs. Danger Zone
David A. Paterson, Governor
Denise E. ODonnell, Commissioner
Version 1.3 3/17/2008
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In a Childs Words
View Video In A Childs Words
Whoever tells the stories defines the culture.
Do you know the story in your child's favorite
game? MediaWise.org - PSA
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The Debate Continues
Balance Good vs. Bad Educational Value vs.

Harmful Effect

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Game Sources
PC XBox 360 Playstation 1,2,3 PSP Game Cube S
uper Nintendo
Nintendo 64 NES
Game Boy Dreamcast Genesis Sega Saturn Neo Ge
o
Game Gear Nintendo Wii Cell Phone
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Virginia Tech Video Game
Cho Seung-Hui went on a murderous rampage at
Virginia Tech.
View Video Virginia Tech
Associated Press
Now someone has created a video game that
features him.
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Video Game Rating SystemAs rated by the
Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB)

• Early Childhood Titles rated Early Childhood
  (EC) have content suitable for children age 3 and
  older and do not contain any material that
  parents would find inappropriate.

Everyone Titles rated Everyone (E) have content
suitable for persons age 6 and older. These
titles will appeal to people of many ages and
tastes. They may contain minimal violence, some
comic mischief (for example, slapstick comedy),
or some crude language.
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Everyone 10 Titles rated Everyone 10
(E10) have content that may be suitable for
ages 10 and older. Titles in this category may
contain more cartoon, fantasy or mild violenc
e, harsher language and/or minimal suggestive
themes.
Teen Titles rated Teen (T) have content
suitable for persons age 13 and older. Titles in
this category may contain violent content, mild
or strong language, and/or suggestive themes.
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Mature Titles rated Mature (M) have content
suitable for persons age 17 and older. These
products may include more intense violence or
language than products in the Teen category. In
addition, these titles may include mature sexual
themes.
Adults Only Titles rated Adults Only (AO) have
content suitable only for adults. These products
may include graphic depictions of sex and/or
violence. Adults Only products are not intended
to be sold or rented to persons under the age of
18.
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Video Game Facts
7 out of 10 kids report playing M-rated video
games
5,000 game titles available
10 billion in video games sales in US
On average, girls play 5 hours per week, boys
play 13 hours
78 of boys say they own an M-rated game
45 of kids purchased M-rated video games
without a parent
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Risks for Children

• Increased aggression due to violent video games
  and playing in an environment of super weapons,
  slaughter, stabbing, and shooting.
  
• Social isolation single-player games and
  neglect of real-life relationships for virtual
  ones.

Adapted from MediaWise.org
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Risks for Children
Exposure to anti-social themes such as violence,
aggression, irresponsible sex, and gender bias
with female characters often portrayed as weak
and helpless. Diversion from real-life responsibi
lities (i.e. school work, household
chores). Addiction, Increased Appetite.
Adapted from MediaWise.org
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MMORPGMassive Multiplayer Online Role Playing
Game
View Video Video Game Addiction
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Video Game History

• 1972 - Pong a simulated ping pong game where
  players had to hit a ball with paddles.

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• 1976 First violent video game titled Death
  Race, originally titled Pedestrian.
  
• The goal was to run down stick-figure
  pedestrians called gremlins that would scream
  when hit and turn into gravestones.

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• Late 1980s and early 1990s fighting games
  such as Double Dragon and Mortal Kombat
  became best sellers.

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• 1992 Wolfenstein 3D is released, the first
  major first-person shooter game, with the
  player seeing the game through the eyes of the
  character.
• Part of the popularity of Wolfenstein 3D was
  the shock value enemies fell and bled on the
  floor.

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• 1993 Doom is released with even more blood
  and gore.
  
• Players can hunt and kill each other.

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• 2000 The violent first-person shooter game
  Soldier of Fortune is released.
  
• There are 26 different killing zones in the
  body.

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Anyone can download and play Americas Army,
an official game of the U.S. Army.
Cutting-edge technology is essential for training
soldiers, but what about an 8-year-old?
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Today
View Video Bully
Rockstar Games, Inc.
Does the video game Bully condone harassment,
intimidation and retribution?
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Violent Video Games
What is violent?
What effect do violent games have on children?
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How Violent Are Video Games?
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Research is inconclusive.

• One research book, Violent Video Game Effects
  on Children and Adolescents, states
  
• Study 1 - Exposure to cartoonish childrens
  violent video games may have the same short-term
  effects on increasing aggressive behavior as the
  more graphic teen (T-rated) violent games.

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• Study 2 - Children who had more exposure to
  violent video games may have more pro-violent
  attitudes, more hostile personalities, may be
  less forgiving, believe violence to be more
  typical, and behave more aggressively in their
  everyday lives.
• Study 3 - Children who played more violent video
  games early in the school year may become more
  verbally and physically aggressive later in the
  school year.

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4 Major Effects of Violent Media
One researcher, Dr. Ronald Slaby, has found

• Aggressor Effect encouraging violent behavior.
• Victim Effect increased fearfulness.
• Bystander Effect leading to callousness,
  accepting violence as normal.
  
• Increased Appetite Effect building a desire to
  watch more violence or play violent games.

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• Parents should use good judgment when purchasing
  video games for their children.

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Ten Tips for Parents

• CHECK a games rating and read the description.
  Rent a game to preview before purchasing. Some
  major online games have ESRB ratings others do
  not. Check out online reviews.
• AVOID first-person shooter, killographic games.
  Instead, pick non-lethal games that require the
  player to devise strategies and make decisions in
  a game environment that is more complex than
  punch, run, and kill.

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• SET reasonable time limits and ensure that they
  are respected by your child.
  
• WATCH for warning signs of video game addiction.
  Stop obsessive playing before it gets out of
  control. Encourage your child to play with
  friends off line, away from the computer.
• TALK with your children about cyberbullying and
  griefers (tormenters). Encourage your children
  to talk to you if they see inappropriate behavior
  online. Establish house rules of netiquette
  and follow through with consequences if rules are
  broken.

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• DISCUSS the content of games and explain why you
  object to certain games. Remember that children
  also play video and computer games outside of the
  home. What are the gaming rules at their
  friends homes?
• SET clear house rules around Internet and game
  use and time. Require that homework and chores
  be done before playing.
  
• DO NOT PUT video games or computers in kids
  bedrooms. Place video game consoles and
  computers where they are easy to monitor.

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MEETING online gaming friends requires adult
supervision. Your kids may feel quite close to
other gamers they meet online. Remind them that
these people are still strangers and that it
isnt safe to meet them alone.
DONT assume that other parents judgments on
video games will be the same as yours. You may
agree on some things, but maybe not here.
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Resources
Media Family KidScore a rating system by
parents for parents www.mediafamily.org
Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB)
www.esrb.org PBS Parents www.pbs.org PTA PT
A/ESRB Brochure on Video Game Safety
www.pta.org New York State Consumer Protection Bo
ard www.nysconsumer.gov
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View Video Obesity
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The New York State Missing and Exploited Children
Clearinghouse (MECC) at the Division of Criminal
Justice Services wishes to acknowledge and thank
the Law Enforcement Analysis Facility (LEAF) at
the National Law Enforcement and Corrections
Technology Center Northeast for its
cooperation, support, and assistance.  
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NYS Division of Criminal Justice Services
Denise E. ODonnell, Commissioner

Missing and Exploited Children Clearinghouse
www.criminaljustice.state.ny.us
1-800-FIND-KID