Violent Video Games
Should our democracy place criminal penalties on anyone who sells, rents, or shows violent video games to minors?
Today, many popular video games feature high levels of realistic violence. Many researchers have concluded that exposure to violent video games increases young players’ violent thoughts and aggressive actions. Some people have called for stronger restrictions on video games. In 2005, the American state of Illinois passed the “Violent Video Games Law,” which made it a crime for retail stores to sell or rent violent or sexual video games to minors.
Lessons
Resources
Articles and Papers
- Entertainment Software Rating Board, “ESRB Game Ratings: Frequently Asked Questions” (New York: Entertainment Software Rating Board, 2005)
- Illinois General Assembly. Public Act 94-0315, “Violent Video Game Law” (720 ILCS 5, Article 12A. Violent video games), Enacted July 25, 2005
- Janushewski, Derrick, and Myna Truong, “Video Games and Violence,” Building the Virtual City: Suggestions for Shaping a Viable Cybersociety (Hamilton, Canada: McMaster University, 1999)
- Walsh, David, Video Game Violence and Public Policy, paper presented at the Playing by the Rules: The Cultural Policy Challenges of Video Games Conference, Chicago, Illinois, October 26-27, 2001
