- Sunday, 8 November 2009
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I think it's inevitable we move to 64-bit architecture - Bob Colwell, former chief architect, Intel
Pornography better for the kids than video games
ACCORDING TO AN ONLINE POLL conducted by What They Play, 3,000 parents are more concerned about their child playing video games than drinking alcohol or watching porn.
The first poll which took place April this year, with 1,266 participants found that nine per cent of parents think repeated use of the F-word in games is unacceptable. A huge 37 per cent are more offended by a man and woman having sex on a game – where did their kids come from?
The second poll in August this year asked what parents were more concerned about when their child was at a sleep-over, here the results showed that parents were more scared about their child playing games like Grand Theft Auto than watching porn.
Love-making worse than swearing and games worse than porn – what is the world coming to?
John Davison, president of What They Like says that, "These poll results demonstrate that parents are as apprehensive about their children's media diets as they are about traditional social issues such as alcohol, drugs, violence and sex.”
The problem seems to be that only bad video games get any media coverage, and so parents are lead to believe that they contain drugs, violence and sex.
Mike Goodman further this by saying that, "If it's controversial, it leads.”
"Gamers know the truth, but non-gamers are influenced by what they see on the news, and they think video games are corrupting the morals of our youth." µ
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Yeah why should parents be concerned when games provide the chance for their children to learn to curse, have virtual sex (which of course wouldn't lead to anything,right), drink, kill and be the bad guy. No that wouldn't influence a child in the least now would it. I think the ratings are there for a reason and I for one am glad they are.
I think this poll only shows that parents are wildly overprotective especially when it comes to things that only matter in their very narrow minds.
If parents want their kids to have good clean fun with video games, they should just google for Nintendo...
Reading this article, I would understand the reaction of most parents in the second poll. I wouldn't be too concerned about my children watching porn at a friends house because it's not really an often occurring scenario - or maybe I'm out of touch with reality and watching porn in group has taken off big time lately.

However, I wouldn't be too concerned with them playing GTA either, providing that a) it's not the ONLY thing they do (moderation) and b) age, not that my children would have to be 18 but 10 or so is a little young. 

What would concern me more is possible drinking, sex, vandalism, .. Maybe I'm getting old fashioned at the age of 25.
Corrupting the morals of our youth? have people no sense at all?

Young peopel rebel, they step on & trample morals. Just look at drug use statistics. Many young people of today drink alcohol & use drugs regularly. As for alcohol they drink to get drunk.

Let's not even go into the sex part of it all, teen-aged mothers and all.

Many parents have very little idea what their children are up to when they go out or when they "sleep over".

Too often the discovery of alcohol abuse, drug use, indecent behavioure etc comes as a shock to them.

I wish video games were really the problem, at least they are regulated.
Is this a US or UK only survey? I would be very curious about what other populations rate.
I know saw porn I would be very concerned if my children are watching it and I saw porn which I wouldn't mind so much seeing them. Same goes for video games, alcohol usage...

I think parents should trust their children and have open discussions as you will not be able to protect them from everything but you might be able to prepare them before facing the evil and thus change their affection.

In Germany the media and politicians want to make you believe games like Counterstrike make you a serial killer - just slightly overstretched.

So I am more concerned my children watch TV espescially with the ring tone-phone-crap going on all the time (tanned skin from a mobile phone?! What the hell?!).
As long as they're not Hone-Ohs.
= biased poll

Also, 50% of respondents were most worried about pot, not GTA.
Well these kind of reactions are born from the nanny state type ethos.

My kids are 9 and 11 and I let them play most computer games. They are old enough to know whats right and wrong, normal and not normal

When other kids come for a sleep over at our house, they get "liberated" in our house, and see the real world.