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In our society today, children have more exposure to violence at a young age through violent video games. One thing to note, is that parents are allowing their kids to play these games. Some might believe that the cause of mass shootings and other acts of violence directly correlates to video games. However, these games are usually distributed worldwide, and  shows that not many countries have increase in violence because of the violent video games that they play. I believe that video games do cause certain aggressive behavior to some individuals, not all.  Anyone can be exposed to violence, but not everyone will act on the violence and repeat it because they see it happening. Violence is a choice. As many studies have conducted with MRI scanning they show no significant changes in the brain of participants who were exposed to the violent video games, and those who were not. There are many other environmental and psychological factors that are involved as well that may increase violence.

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I feel that violent video games are not the reason for increase in acts of violence in our society. But I do believe that violence in video games can desensitized the generation of youth playing video games from actual violence. Aggression does not exactly mean desensitization.Some people often misunderstand that desensitize means that the children will be more likely to act out the violence. To address that, children are less sensitive to actual violence. This can also be seen in adults, the become more and more accustomed to the violence we see each day in the news, and sometimes in our communities. As I've mentioned, parents give access and availability to these video games. Its similar to how the government gives easy access to weapons. We allow the increase in violence to happen because we don't take action to prevent it. My stance on this topic is that, the increase in violence in our societies is not caused by video games but lies in our culture and the way we think about the topic and address the issue of violence.

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New Study Finds Violent Video Games Do Not Desensitize Players to Violence

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Video Games Don't Cause Violent Behavior

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Do violent video games actually make people more violent?

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"Much of the research on violent video game use relies on measures to assess aggression that don't correlate with real-world violence. Some studies are observational and don't prove cause and effect.

Federal crime statistics suggest that serious violent crimes among youths have decreased since 1996, even as video game sales have soared.

Parents can protect children from potential harm by limiting use of video games and taking other common-sense precautions."

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Follow me on Twitter @drClaire

There's always a lot of violence in the world - and many of our children watch it.

That's not a good thing.

Between mainstream media and social media, violence reaches far past the places and people it directly affects. Whether it's the latest shooting, the latest terrorist attack, or some other act of violence, television and other media can bring it into every home, every cell phone, and every computer. The recent rise in cell phone videos shared on social media - often raw, unedited, and shocking violence - has increased the prevalence and reach of violence even further.

Add to that the violence in movies - even G-rated movies - and video games and, as the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has said "Media violence is woven into the fabric of American children's lives."

The AAP wants people to understand that exposure to "virtual" violence, through news, social and entertainment media, can be bad for children. Multiple studies have shown that children exposed to violence may be more aggressive, and they may have behavioral problems. They may also become desensitized to violence, which may be the worst outcome - imagine a generation of children growing up thinking that violence is acceptable and unremarkable.

Every person is different; some are likely to be more affected by others. But as the policy statement points out, given how wide the exposure is, even just a small percentage can end up being a big effect. The example they give:

It's attention and action that the pediatricians most want. Here are some of their suggestions regarding "virtual violence":

Pediatricians and parents should think about the "media diet" of children. What children watch on screens is just as important - if not more important - than how much time they spend in front of screens.

Parents need to be mindful of what their children see and what games they play. To the extent that it's possible, parents should try to watch and play with their children. With older children, especially those with computers and smart phones, it's important to talk about what they are seeing and doing.

Parents need to be mindful of their own media habits. They should not only set a good example, but also be careful of what they watch when their children are nearby.

Parents need to understand that children, especially young children, can't always distinguish between fantasy and reality. "It's just a movie" may not do the trick. Children under 6 shouldn't be exposed to virtual violence at all.

"First person shooter" games, in which killing is the central theme and the goal, are not appropriate for children of any age.

Federal, state, and local legislators should work to provide parents and caregivers more, and more reliable, information about how much violence is in all different kinds of media

The entertainment industry (and news industry) should be more responsible about how it portrays violence. It should limit gratuitous violence and glamorization of violence, and when violence is portrayed, the pain and loss suffered should be portrayed as well.

This isn't about making our media free of violence. It's about being aware of the effect that violence can have on our children and doing everything we can to make that effect as small as possible. Because nothing - no news update, no popular movie, or any video game - will ever be as important as our children.
Image: simonkr/Getty Images
About the Author

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Protecting children from the dangers of virtual violence - Harvard Health

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Follow me on Twitter @drClaire There's always a lot of violence in the world - and many of our children watch it. That's not a good thing. Between mainstream media and social media, violence reaches far past the places and people it directly affects.

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Trump blames video games, movies for violence

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President Trump insists that there's a firm link between video game violence and recent school shootings. But over 45 years after Pong first popularized interactive entertainment, this theory has yet to be definitively proven. Moreover, with entire generations of healthy, well-adjusted kids having grown up alongside interactive entertainment, one must also wonder. Why are we still asking if video games are safe for children - and why must we continually revisit the debate?

At a glance, the facts would seem troubling. According to the American Psychological Association (APA), research suggests a "consistent relation between violent video game use and increases in aggressive behavior" - and implies that playing them desensitizes kids to violent acts. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) additionally cites "exposure to violence in media" as "a significant risk to the health of children." Parents may be understandably shocked to learn that around 85% of video games contain some form of violence as well.

But it's also important to remember that this in-game violence, which is often animated or comedic in nature, is frequently sensationalized in popular media. Precious few games merit the Entertainment Software Rating Board's "Mature" (17 and up) age rating too. Expert opinion on game-related research is further split, with hundreds of academics calling findings linking playing video games to violence flawed, while others argue that studies show "either no relationship between playing video games and violent behavior, or an 'insignificant' link between the two."

Perhaps the most significant clue we may have as to video games' actual impact on kids lies in a recent study conducted by the Southern Economic Journal. The report, which tracks both crime rates and game sales, notes that violent criminal offenses actually decreased in the weeks following many popular video games' release. (Presumably as kids' more negative impulses were constructively channeled into virtual worlds instead.)

Additionally, as the American Academy of Pediatrics also points out, "media violence is woven into the fabric of American children's lives ... as recently as the year 2000, every G-rated movie contained violence, as did 60% of primetime TV shows." In fact, most children will have seen 8,000 murders and 100,000 other acts of screen violence before ever reaching middle school. Considering these facts, and the ready availability of guns and growing rise in mental illness in America, it's grossly unfair to label video games as drivers of growing real-world violence.

Arguably more troubling than violent games themselves is the fact that our perceptions of gaming refuse to grow up. While gamers are now 35 years old on average (and most over age 18), our view of the medium remains largely juvenile. Books, movies, and comics have all been allowed to come of age culturally, and we accept that gore-drenched box office smashes from Saw to Scarface and graphic novels like Preacher are examples of escapist entertainment designed for mature audiences that don't turn children into criminals and killers. But old stereotypes of games as childish artifacts designed for childish audiences still linger.

Certainly, some games are designed to polarize and provoke, e.g. Grand Theft Auto V (featuring scenes of graphic torture) and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (which contains an interactive terrorist-themed mission). But more troubling than these industry outliers are our own misperceptions that a medium which actively champions uplifting and social play is an active threat to our children.

Sadly, the debate over violent video games' influence rages on year after year. But more than the actual games themselves, we should be more worried about pigeonholing and demonizing one of the most engaging and uplifting art forms of the 21st century - one kids happen to adore.
Scott Steinberg is author of Parenting High-Tech Kids. The founder of travel + hospitality trends magazine SELECT: Your City's Secrets Unlocked™, and host of Next Up on NewsWatch, his website is www.AKeynoteSpeaker.com. Follow him on Twitter: @AKeynoteSpeaker
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OPINION: Don't blame violence on video games

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President Trump insists that there's a firm link between video game violence and recent school shootings. But over 45 years after Pong first popularized interactive entertainment, this theory has yet to be definitively proven. Moreover, with entire generations of healthy, well-adjusted kids having grown up alongside interactive entertainment, one must also wonder.