Are Violent Video Games Okay for Kids?

One time I was in Game Stop with my sister and I saw a preschooler holding Call of Duty: Black Ops while their mother was paying for it. Another preschooler next to him was looking at an advertisement for the newest Call of Duty game and said “Mom, Mom! Can we get that next?!?!” Does that sound right to you, or is it just me? I think that kids that age, or kids of any age under the age the ESRB recommends, shouldn’t play games like that.

Just think about it. Most of these games have war, guns, drugs, and alcohol. Kids can’t have or do any of these things, so why does it make it okay for them to play them? These games could influence them to do something they shouldn’t in the future or add more profanities to their growing long list of them. Also, when playing on Xbox you can play with people that you don’t know on the Internet through Xbox Live. The real issue there is that you can also talk to them. Which, if you pay any attention to the news, is a potentially dangerous situation since you don’t know who they are and what they can find out about you.

I could keep going on and on about these games that are meant for responsible adults and not kids, but I think I made my point clear. Next time you sit down and turn on your Xbox, think twice about what game you’re going to play. It will help you realize what you’re getting yourself into.

~Taylor McKinley

One thought on “Are Violent Video Games Okay for Kids?

  1. I agree with you that younger kids should not be allowed to have/use violent (video) games. Not only is it just odd for a preschooler to be watching snipers go down to kill people (even in a game), but it’s also bad because all of that graphic imagery could even be a bit scarring for the child, and what they do and see at that time could really shape their future.

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