Violent games are worse than porn

[VermilionUK]

Lifted from BBC

Violent video games have "a much bigger negative influence on kids" than pornography, a leading porn star has claimed.

He said parents should be more worried about the harmful effects of such games.

Mr Jeremy's comments were made at a session called the Great Porn Debate during the Consumer Electronics Show, CES, in Las Vegas.

His comments angered gamers, who accused him of "ignorance".

Mr Jeremy's appearance at CES in Las Vegas caused some raised eyebrows.

He took time away from the Adult Entertainment Expo, which takes place in Las Vegas at the same time as the annual tech fest, to speak out on behalf of his profession and promote some practical tools.

"Studies have found that violent video games are a much bigger negative influence on kids," Mr Jeremy said.

"It's rather hypocritical behaviour and it doesn't speak up for pornography's merits by merely saying "something else is worse, don't look at us.
Very disappointing behaviour from a man who should know better," said Jim Sterling of gaming news blog Destructoid.com.

Andy Chalk at video gaming site escapistmagazine.com said Mr Jeremy's remarks cannot be completely ignored.

"While I do think he's (Mr Jeremy) working from a platform of ignorance, I'm not quite as certain that the sentiment is entirely wrong.

"I wouldn't want my kids (the hypothetical ones, that is) playing Modern Warfare 2 or becoming overly familiar with Ron's body of work, but is it really reasonable to say that one is significantly worse than the other?" asked Mr Chalk.

Mr Jeremy also urged parents to play their part in preventing children from accessing adult websites.

Full article http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/8453043.stm

Questions for debate:

Are violent video games a greater negative influence on children than pornography?

Should there be stricter age ratings on video games with adult content (violence, sex, foul language, drug use)?

Should violent video games be banned? If so, why?

[Nilloc James]

Well I'd much rather a sexually active soceity than I violent one.

I'm fairly certain the rating system is broken and mostly ignored anyways.

[Sotomone]

This answer comes from a matter of opinion. And how I feel on the matter, so I am not using a world wide view here.

Personally video game violence is not as bad as pornographic violence. While there is actually a rating for games with sexual content being AO, there is no game that has this rating because no game meets it. And they do rate the games properly. And the restrictions are well enough in place. While pornography is less controlled than video games. Most game content is controlled by parental guidance along with TV.

But the internet is a vast thing and a lot harder to control. And it can give the wrong view in a happy filling relationship and give children the wrong views of what they do in the bedroom. I mean really not a lot of stable people that play video games suddenly get the urge and go out stealing, robbing, or doning armor. And even if they try they'll be stopped. But who's to stop someone to using the methods shown in explicit shows from happening other than the partner? And as I said there is no AO rated game so children can't learn to do certain things in the bedroom. At most they'll try to woo a girl using video game methods.

[VermilionUK]

I mean really not a lot of stable people that play video games suddenly get the urge and go out stealing, robbing, or doning armor

I agree, although it seems politicians and the like would have us believe that violent video games breed psychopaths. As far as I'm concerned if an individual cannot differentiate between a game such as GTA and real-life, then it is not the fault of game or its developers.

If the arguments against violent video games are valid, then surely pornographic films lead to rapists, Jackie Chan films lead to violent assaults, and Rap music leads to gang violence?

[JoeyKnothead]

What about violent porn video games?

I'd much prefer a society that treats violence more severely than sex.

[FinalEnigma]

I'm never going to buy that violent video games are a problem, simply becasue my brother has killed literally millions of people in video games of all types - role playing, shooters, strategy, etc. (most of those kills being racked up in strategy games of course. Blowing up planets and the like) and he's a pacifist.

and I like how these people did a study on whether violent media makes people violent.

They showed a bunch of boys a kung fu movie then had them go play - and guess what? they did more aggressive, fighting-type play than kids who watched nonviolent movies.

That proves that violent media makes people violent.

...Right?

[Sotomone]

If the arguments against violent video games are valid, then surely pornographic films lead to rapists, Jackie Chan films lead to violent assaults, and Rap music leads to gang violence

I could not agree more. The thing skipped a lot is the realism factor. Video games compared to none: anime, cartoon. Is high for the fact they can make the movie more realistic and the movie industries strive to make there movies more and more real. Is this account ignored? Is VIDEO games the only violence they are interested in? A 10 years old can watch a violent movie more easily than they can buy a game. And my proof to this any kid can ask a adult to buy the ticket they only ID at the purchase stand.

What about violent porn video games?

I'd much prefer a society that treats violence more severely than sex.

That would be a AO rated game.(Adult Only) And requires the person to have a ID stating there 18 years or older of course. Even Japan limits there hentai sells saying all hentai needs to be censored but this isn't of course monitored. Mmm ok a game that would have scored a true AO rating would have been GTA3. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hot_Coffee ... ontroversy But they since changed it so they do not have to give it a AO rating. Joey if you can show reference to violent porn games. Names will do for me. I have yet to come across them for US or Japan alike.

I'm never going to buy that violent video games are a problem, simply becasue my brother has killed literally millions of people in video games of all types

Love video games my self and love strategy especially. But you can't completely rule out video games. Not completely but yes mostly, there is some that would follow the video game example. But mostly I think these people aren't right in the head. But sometimes it can be someone that has had no influence in there life. But all in all I think media rules out movies and the like because movies are the life blood of today's society, without TV more people would be bored than without video game violence. So they target games and ignore movies and TV.

They showed a bunch of boys a kung fu movie then had them go play - and guess what? they did more aggressive, fighting-type play than kids who watched nonviolent movies.

Yes it does. In fact games are more educational than TV or Movies. Even war games or violent games. To survive they must think and plan and use serious logic. So all in all aren't games better for children than TV?

[scottlittlefield17]

What I find interesting is when you find a graphic video game you also often find that it has porn in it to.

[FinalEnigma]

What I find interesting is when you find a graphic video game you also often find that it has porn in it to.

huh?

Maybe if you define graphic as graphically sexual rather than as graphic violence. thinking of games I've played or seen recently with graphic violence:
World of warcraft(not really that graphic, but rather violent. the others are much more graphic),
Crysis,
Gears of war,
wolf team.

None of these have pornographic or even sexual imagery that I can recall.

a couple of them have cursing...

note that I'm not a big fan of graphic violence either. I just play these games for the other elements. now and then I want to play an fps, and the only ones they make anymore happen to be very bloody and gory.

[Abraxas]

Honestly, I think most of the damage they cause is due to treating them as taboo to begin with. I would strongly suspect a society more open with fantasy of all kinds would lead to people being better adjusted and more responsible with how they handle the topic.

When something has a stigma to it but is considered extremely enjoyable for and non-harmful, at least not readily obviously so to the participant, it builds a certain mystique around the topic, that, in my experience, leads to people being unwilling to discuss it or becoming overly emotional when they do. This inevitably leads to both ignorance and fascination.

To me, the ideas behind controlling both pornography and violent video games are more or less the same as abstinence only education or prohibition. The more you try to block it off, the more people are going to want it, the greater lengths they will go to to get it, the greater likelihood of it being used irresponsibly. If we were to adopt the attitude of "this is what it is, this is how it works, use it responsibly, do you have any questions?" I think a lot of the problems surrounding each would disappear.