Grand Theft Auto IV -- Parents: M Means M!
The newest Grand Theft Auto video game releases next Tuesday, and parents need to know that this ultra-violent M-rated game is categorically not meant for anyone under 17. In Grand Theft Auto IV, all the violence, sex, drug use, and anti-social behavior of previous editions continues -- but now players can also drive drunk and partner with others online in stabbing, shooting, beating, and stealing.

Nothing in these games is appropriate for kids as they develop into young adults. The modeling of reprehensible behavior only serves to normalize it -- even though kids will consciously be able to tell the difference between acceptable and anti-social behavior, studies show that the more violence they see, the more immune they become to its horrendous consequences. If you don’t believe that these studies have merit, just consider the recent video of the teen girls who beat the daylights out of one of their schoolmates as payback for “talking trash” about them on MySpace. Experts directly link the girls’ behavior to the explosion of media content (in this case, reality TV) that showcases and rewards hostile interactions between participants.

Before you let your kid buy or play this game, consider the following:

 

• Violence matters: A 2007 study published in the Journal of Adolescent Health concluded that "Media violence increases the risk significantly that the viewer or game player will behave more violently in both the short and long run." Indeed, dozens of studies have found a connection between playing violent video games and increased aggressive thoughts and actions.

   

• Your kid has access: 87% of boys under 17 have played an M-rated video game, and only 1% say their parents have ever stopped them from playing one. A recent investigation found that children as young as 9 were able to purchase M-rated games containing violent and sexually explicit content in nearly five out of 10 attempts. And games are everywhere: Video games are now present in 83% of homes with children. Eight- to 10-year-olds play an average of 65 minutes a day. Most games are violent; 94% of T-rated games contain violence.

   

• Decreasing exposure has positive effects: In a study of third and fourth graders, reducing TV and video game consumption to less than one hour per day decreased verbal aggression by 50% and physical aggression by 40%.

   

• Parents have control: Not only can you simply refuse to buy the game (hey, we all need to say “no” sometimes), but you can also now use parental control features (which you can find in the "settings" menus) on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 consoles. For simple PS3 instructions, go to www.us.playstation.com/support. And for Xbox, go to www.xbox.com/isyourfamilyset