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Should Violent Video Games Be Sold To Children Under 18

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Should violent video games be sold to children under 18? In 2011, the Supreme Court struck down a California law banning the sale of violent video games to children under the age of 18, as they considered the law as a violation to the First Amendment. But why do the State of California want to ban the sale of violent video games to children? Violent video games are societal and scientific controversial, as many people argue video games change the behavior of the player, therefore they want to pass laws to restrict violent video games, especially children under 18 years old. People who advocate for the sale of video games believe that the California law is a violation to the freedom of the press, because video game is considered as a genre …show more content…

Researchers at Ohio State University conducted a study and concluded that people who have a steady diet of playing these violent video games may come to see the world as a hostile and violent place. Psychologist Douglas A. Gentile from the Iowa State University stated that whatever we practice repeatedly. If we practice aggressive ways of thinking, feeling, and reacting, then we will get better at those. Not all children play video games will behave violently, but with the study shown above, it is a good reason why both the American Psychologist Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics listed violence video games as a risk factor of causing violence behavior. Children under 18 are mentally unstable since their social cognitive had not fully developed yet, therefore, let them interact with violent video games daily will affect their behavior in both short term and long term. According to Doctor Lawrence Konner, the percentage number of behavior problems caused from violent video games for both boys and girls are significantly higher than those who did not play violent video games (Mature rating games). Specifically, he showed that the number in aggression and bullying like physical fight or took part in bullying are 22% higher for those Mature- rating games. Delinquent behaviors like damage property, stealing, or getting into trouble with police and school problems (poor grades, number of class skipped, and suspension) all have a higher percentage compared to children who are not playing violent video games. With the data information above, many adults and parents are concerned about how violent video games could affected their children, and therefore support the California

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