Grand Theft Auto, Promoting Bad Behavior? Options

[Paradox of Life]

Grand Theft Auto may be encouraging people to murder people, jack cars, consider policemen as bad guys, create gangs, graffiti, use weapons, use bad language etc. Although the game is rated M it may still be promoting bad behavior from people 17 and older or their younger siblings. Nothing can prevent younger children from watching their older siblings play or even play for themselves. Should there be stricter rules? Every person I know that has the game Grand Theft Auto is under 17. I know people the ages 9, 10 11, 12, 15, 16, and possibly more who have played Grand Theft Auto. Should it be banned from stores? The games feature the several cusswords (including Sh** and Fu**), multiple weapons (slitting civilians throats with daggers, guns), running from cops, stealing cars. Sure it's fun, but is it really worth it if people start turning into "bad guys"?

[azn_r4pf4n]

You make a good point. I heard somewhere that the government is trying to prevent all Rated M games being sold to children under 17 from a user who uses GTA. I also heard they can track you down somehow.

Ya, lots of cuss words. Cussing in different languages are in it also.

It promotes lots of bad behavior, true true. I've heard a case a while ago that this one kid claimed GTA caused him to commit crimes. i have to go back later to debate about this.

[ShEraBaRoO]

i agree with you on this. i was shocked when my seven year old neighbor was closely intent on watching sexual activity when playing this game. he even tried to "hump" me for fun.

[heyyfrankie]

if that is the case, than almost all games that use guns are setting a bad example. movies do the same thing.

[*kryogenix*]

http://www.mediafamily.org/psa/Kid30.mov
http://www.mediafamily.org/psa/PSA_56K6.swf

first is for broadband, second is for dialup.

At first, I started laughing, then I realized that it was for real.

[*Kathleen*]

I personally don't think so. I don't play that game, and I'd say I'm a pretty violent person. It's more like how you grow up that affects you to commit crimes and swear and whatnot. If your parent doesn't set those examples for you to tell you what's right from wrong, then I think your view of morals becomes distorted. Yeah...I kind of lost my train of thought. I just think that the only thing violent games promote is the increase in awareness of kids. People are just learning about things faster than before. You don't only see it in video games, but you see it with computers and just the increase of awareness from intelligence on medicines and health.

[sadolakced acid]

Video games should be considered an interactive media.

when i was a kid, there was no killing humans in the games i played.

but then again i didn't have a console...

M games should not be sold to kids.
should be enforced...

[ryfitaDF]

imma hafta play the "it's up to the parents to set kids straight" card.

[racoons > you]

i think it may be a contributing factor, but it cant be solely responsible. maybe if it is couple dwith aa shaky domestic situation, then yes, but if they come from a loving, stable fammily situation (by which i dont necessarily mean 2.4 kids and the parent still together, there are all kinds of love and support), then it should be fine

[nevernothere]

GTA is hilarious... and has an incredible amount of entertainment value... I love the tank... hahahaha. You shouldn't blame a video game... blame the kid's parents or something.

[azn_r4pf4n]

Hmmm.. imma bring an example of me playing a rated M game when I was 5/4 years old. (no lie)

I played Doom 1 (an OLD rated M computer game full of violent shooting and poor bloody graphics) when I was like around 5/4 years old and i almost beated it. only thing it did to me was give me nightmares and that's it, but i don't want kids to learn from what i did when i was 5.

[demolished]

yep, agree .. i seen a little 4th grade cuss alot 0.O .

[karrar]

You just need to get it through to your child that you are not allowed to do this stuff in real life . My 10 year old bro is crazy on the gta series just as i am . However he wouldnt take a 100 dollar bill if he found it on the floor . If you can get kid's to understamd that these kind of behaviers are not accepted in the real world . Then there should'nt be problem .

[mzawesome]

my brother plays that game he's only nine too =[ but i cant stop him from doing that my mom lets him play it..

[*xcaitlinx*]

i dont agree. Have any of you PLAYED video games? every single video game out there influences violence, drugs, alcohol, etc. There's no way around it---if parents dont want their kids playing those types of games, then let it be their decision.

[Trolling]

Well at least in Gta San andreas you can create a little gangster that looks like yourself? That should lower crime rates xD... But theres always gonna be these little thugsters everywhere...

[gigiopolis]

Grand Theft Auto, like tons of M rated video games and R movies, do have some sort of influence on children and their behaviour, but that's not to say it should be banned altogether.

Example: people suing McDonald's for making them fat and obese. Here's a question for you people: If it bothers you so much, why do you eat at McDonald's? If you're so concerned with your health, why not eat healthy in the first place? But it's reasonable to say that you never knew it was that unhealthy for you.

But M rated video games DO tell you it's rated M for Mature. Not sure what that means? Look in the dictionary. Don't have a dictionary? Ask a teacher. Because all the warnings are there, it's your responsibility to READ them.

It's not like these video games are forcing you to buy their product. You're buying them for their children and promoting violence, even though you KNOW it's rated M, and it says it on the packaging. It's no one's fault but your own.

[picaso_smile]

Constant exposure to vilolence desensitizes you it. This promotes that sort of behavior becasue it no longer seems to be a extreme approach.

It's a parents fault if young children see it. If someone 17 or older palys it and ends up as an ex murderer it's thier own fault. They chose to play.

[*kryogenix*]

I personally don't think so. I don't play that game, and I'd say I'm a pretty violent person. It's more like how you grow up that affects you to commit crimes and swear and whatnot. If your parent doesn't set those examples for you to tell you what's right from wrong, then I think your view of morals becomes distorted. Yeah...I kind of lost my train of thought. I just think that the only thing violent games promote is the increase in awareness of kids. People are just learning about things faster than before. You don't only see it in video games, but you see it with computers and just the increase of awareness from intelligence on medicines and health.

You are partially right. It is how your parent raises you, but also how your parent doesn't raise you. If your parent is not monitoring the content you are viewing, then videogames such as GTA are what is raising the child.

[mouse_3k]

I think its fine. Either way, the kids gon find out about that stuff sooner or later. It shouldnt be banned in stores cause what about the people that ARE old enough to play it? dang kids these days are already having sex at the age of 10 so it doesnt really matter since they already think they know everything anyways. its fun and it should stay in stores.

[Aesirus]

"Every normal man must, at times, feel tempted to spit upon his hand, hoist the black flag, and begin slitting throats."
--HL Mencken, the last wise man on Earth

Stealing cars is just the modern version of stealing frigates.

[*kryogenix*]

gta is not to be blames for swearing... kids WILL find out about these cusses n use them.

violence, maybe. i was violent way b4 i started playing this.

Yes it is to blame for swearing. Is it fair for someone to murder you because you WILL die anyway?

if you were violent before you started playing gta, you should seek psychological help.

  I think its fine. Either way, the kids gon find out about that stuff sooner or later. It shouldnt be banned in stores cause what about the people that ARE old enough to play it? dang kids these days are already having sex at the age of 10 so it doesnt really matter since they already think they know everything anyways. its fun and it should stay in stores.

see argument above.

  "Every normal man must, at times, feel tempted to spit upon his hand, hoist the black flag, and begin slitting throats."
--HL Mencken, the last wise man on Earth

Stealing cars is just the modern version of stealing frigates.

I don't understand your arguement at all.

That said this is my position.

I'm not against banning GTA at all, I'm against letting kids play GTA. If you are not mature enough to know the difference between fantasy and reality, and what is appropriate and inapproriate, you should NOT play the game.

[Aesirus]

Aw, but without GTA: VC, how would kids learn about self-defense and Hispanic culture?

If you can't tell the difference between fantasy and reality, you have a lot more problems than can be encompassed in a computer game. If anything, that's more reason to let them play GTA... they will think that the fantasy of GTA is as good as the real thing, and won't think "Well, this is fake... I'd better do it for real."

Yarrrr...

[*kryogenix*]

i dont agree. Have any of you PLAYED video games? every single video game out there influences violence, drugs, alcohol, etc. There's no way around it---if parents dont want their kids playing those types of games, then let it be their decision.

You are wrong. Not every game has violence, drugs and alchohol. However, that kind of stuff is really marketable (hence Nintendo's "kiddie" reputation for lack of many violent games).

  Constant exposure to vilolence desensitizes you it. This promotes that sort of behavior becasue it no longer seems to be a extreme approach.

It's a parents fault if young children see it. If someone 17 or older palys it and ends up as an ex murderer it's thier own fault. They chose to play.

Correct. The US Army uses simulations that are similar to videogames to rid their recruits of the inhibition to kill. After killing thousands of virtual people, you are in effect training your mind to not feel bad after killing them. Parents should be more responsible.

Well at least in Gta San andreas you can create a little gangster that looks like yourself? That should lower crime rates xD... But theres always gonna be these little thugsters everywhere...

That's a terrible argument. If someone breaks a law, then enforce it better. Just because there's always going to be criminals doesn't mean that we should give up fighting crime.

  Aw, but without GTA: VC, how would kids learn about self-defense and Hispanic culture?Yarrrr...

You must be joking, hahaha.

Take self defense classes/buy videos. Because they instill a sense of discipline, while these videogames destroy discipline. As for Spanish culture, go to school.

If you can't tell the difference between fantasy and reality, you have a lot more problems than can be encompassed in a computer game. If anything, that's more reason to let them play GTA... they will think that the fantasy of GTA is as good as the real thing, and won't think "Well, this is fake... I'd better do it for real."

Again, you must be joking, so I will not argue.

[Aesirus]

Why do video games destroy discipline? I've played GTA and it takes quite a lot of discipline to do some of the missions.