Video games and violence: The BC government’s position

Video games are big business. In the United States more than 215 million computer and video games were sold last year alone – that is more than two per household. Sales during the past four years have nearly doubled. The majority of studies directly focusing on the effects of video games were conducted before advanced technology became available to the gaming public. The first video game in the 1970’s was an electronic version of ping-pong. Today games feature realistic characters armed with a variety of weapons engaging in battle, complete with blood, screams, dismemberment and death. Children and youth can select weapons, locations, powers and even the racial orientation of the protagonist…. A recent study published in the American Psychological Association found that real-life violent video game play was positively related to aggressive behaviour and delinquency. The study further found that laboratory exposure to a graphically violent video game increased aggressive thoughts and behaviour. These findings lend further support to the mounting evidence that exposure to violent video games will increase aggressive behaviour in both the short term and the long term. In addition, the exposure to violent videos is exacerbated by advertising targeted at youth. We know that early findings from a U.S. Federal Trade Commission investigation have found that the entertainment industry is targeting its marketing of violent products to children and youth. The tragedy of youths killing youths in high schools has shocked the world. While there is no doubt that other factors contributed to these attacks, in one case the two killers had customized a version of the video game Doom so that there were two shooters, each with extra weapons and unlimited ammunition, and the victims were unable to fight back. This game became reality for the killers and the students that were trapped in the school. The BC government’s plan – Working with stakeholders Video games with mature sexual/violent themes are unregulated in Canada and are sold/rented to children and youth without legal restriction. In BC, only video games that feature ‘Adult’ content - explicit and realistic actions - are subject to regulation under the Motion Picture Act. The BC Film Classification office reviews potentially ‘Adult’ video games in response to complaints, but has not historically reviewed all video games. In July, 2000 BC announced its intention to develop and implement a new classification system to inform parents about the content of video games. A working group of public, municipal and industry representatives will advise a provincial working group, including the BC Film Classification Office, on the new classification system and implementation issues. We know that parents are the best mediators of their children’s viewing. Parents can judge their child’s maturity level and discuss with them any disturbing images portrayed in the media. However, as children become more and more technologically savvy, they will make choices without their parents’ knowledge or consent. The BC government’s intent is to implement a classification system for all video games that allows parents and youth to make informed choices. Parents must be able to trust that the rating systems used in BC for movies, home videos and video games reflect our own Canadian community standards. From Violence, The Media, and Our Children. BC Ministry of the Attorney General, September 2000

Video games and violence: The BC government’s position

Broadcast | September 20, 2000

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