The Controversy Surrounding The Notion Of Censoring Sex And Violence

The notion of censoring sex and violence in movies and on television has been an ongoing source of controversy among concerned parents everywhere. Many individuals argue that the displays of aggression that are shown on the screens is detrimental to the minds of our youth. On average, children between the ages of two and eleven watch over twenty-four hours of television per week. Parents are terrified their children will be exposed to harmful topics, and that sex and violence will eventually alter their perceptions and views on life. For this reason, many parents support the censoring of this harmful material on television. However, if parents wish to protect their children from these topics, it is their job to do so. It is not up to television

Early exposure to television violence has “consistently emerged as a significant predictor of later aggression (Anderson). By age 18, a U.S. youth will have seen 16,000 simulated murders and 200,000 acts of violence (Protecting Children from Harmful Television: TV Ratings and the V-chip). These images may be harmful and or scarring for young children to be watching. Such images may have long term effects on the mind of these kids. The American Academy of Pediatrics in 2000 issued a “Joint Statement on the Impact of Entertainment Violence on Children.” They cited over one thousand studies, including reports from the Surgeon General’s office and the National Institute of Mental Health. They say that these studies “point overwhelmingly to a causal connection between media violence and aggressive behavior in some children (Anderson). This study and many others like it prove that the sex and violence on television infact does have an impact on the youth. If television's content in fact is warping children then why shouldn't it be

Young adults do not always understand the difference between fiction and reality. Whatever they watch on television and movies could easily shape their behavior and general attitudes in real life (Educate Interactive). Given that children's exposure to television is inevitable, parents may wonder what they can do to protect their children from experiencing these and other negative effects (Sex, Violence, and Profanity in the Media Fact Sheet, TV Statistics - Parents Television Council). It is up to the parent to teach them what is appropriate for them to watch and monitor what they watch. Some companies like Comcast offer the parental advisory control, which allows you to block t.v. shows and channels that show content such as sex and violence. If parents payed more attention to their children and what they watch or have them in activities that don't require them to watch t.v. there would be less problems with controlling the child's watching ability (Dunnivant). Parents should make the decision to either censor what their children watch, or make sure they can depict the differences of reality and fiction as well as right and wrong. A limit to the time that the children should spend on movies and television should also be a consideration. Helping children understand rated television programs and movies is important for them to develop a realistic approach to the