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by Mike Masnick


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Are Video Games Good For Kids?

from the debate-rages-on dept

While it does seem that the anti-videogame folks blow the danger of video games way out of proportion, a new festival seems to be going in the other direction by claiming video games are good for kids. It's such a broad statement that it has to be untrue. Certainly, some video games might be good for kids, in helping them deal with different kinds of challenges, but it hardly seems like random anecdotal evidence (about all that's presented in the article) proves that video gaming is "good." For example, the article includes this sentence: "Dr Judy Robertson, of Edinburgh University, said some children had told her during computer games workshops that playing violent games did not result in violence in real life." Just because some kids say something doesn't necessarily make it true (even if it probably is true). If they really want to show this, wouldn't it make more sense to actually promotes the ways that video games can be helpful to kids, rather than just declaring it so? I'm all for real studies that show the positive impact games have for kids, but hyping up something without substance just makes the arguments seem weak.

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  1. by Anonymous Granger - Mar 28th, 2007 @ 3:43am

    I don't think video games are good for kids. They say they might be, but when they get older, and they need to revise, but their not revising their playing video games, it makes you wonder whether they actually want to pass exams, or to play on video games all their life!!

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  2. by raper1 - Jun 7th, 2007 @ 5:19am

    i raper young gamers!!!!!!!!

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  3. Re: consideration

    by teenager - Jan 24th, 2008 @ 5:21pm

    listen you need to look at this from a non-biased view. you say video games are not good for kids, but your only looking at the negative. yes some kids are violent, but do they ask the kids how they were raised. maybe they had a violent upbringing. there are too many factors that make up how a person acts. you are allowed your opinion but think of this, the number one selling computer game in the past few years has been civilization 4. kids build civilizations. yes they may have to grow a army and attack, but they learn so much from it. all we nee dot do is talk with the kids and be interested in the games themselves. explain why you should not do what they do in the games. but don't let them think what they are doing is bad, instead focus on the positive and try to build from there.

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  4. Re: Re: consideration

    by cubaricangorilla - Feb 29th, 2008 @ 6:18am

    I agree with you. Many games can actually be good for kids, in limmited quantities. Even some of the more violent games can help sharpen quick thinking and problem solving abilities. When games become bad for kids it's usually the fault of the parents for not keeping better control over their kids.

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  5. you MUST be kidding?

    by sgt - Mar 22nd, 2008 @ 9:18am

    I see toddlers screech if you pry them from nintendo ds and gameboys! As kids get older, they become more engrossed with the games and become LESS social or able or willing to do anything else to play. When I have 7 and 8 year olds over to play, they only last for so long, maybe an hour, before they want tv or video games--at which point, the playtime ends. They sulk. There is now a huge PUSH to get kids OUT to play and get active. This wouldn't be happening if we rejected video games; families have let them be virtual kiddie tamers; like TV, just a different medium.

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  6. R U kidding me

    by Zack Martinez - Apr 15th, 2008 @ 12:48pm

    THer is no way that video games are good for kids they are violent and they tend to set bad examples for children !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  7. no way

    by Isacc Holt - Apr 15th, 2008 @ 12:54pm

    There is many sides to this "complaignt" okay

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  8. no way

    by Isacc Holt - Apr 15th, 2008 @ 12:54pm

    There is many sides to this "complaignt" okay

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

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