Role Models

The media has recently started to get more graphic, sexually and/or non sexually, than it used to. With better technology, now things such as video games, music, and movies are progressing, but in a negative way to kids. Now there a lot of video games that we have that include shooting, killing, zombies, stabbing, blood, and all in all violence, and sometimes sexual material. But, is it really the game designer’s job to make their games appropriate for children? Every video game has an age range on it, having players know what they have in store for them. if it is graphic with violence and usually sexually explicit, it is usually 17 and up. With little violence and usually not sexually explicit, it is usually 14 and up. Anything else with no violence or graphics will be all ages. So the games are in categories for what age would be appropriate for children, the same goes for music as well, even though music may not be rated like video games are, some cd's that have extreme cursing will have a caution label on it. So really, I believe that it is the parent’s responsibility to control what their kids see and hear.

Why would it be the video game designer’s responsibility to make their games appropriate for children? They're just doing their job, and the product that their trying to sell isn't even for kids, it's for adults. Same goes to artists and music videos, not everything can be kid friendly, and then it would be a kid’s world and nothing for adult or teenagers. It is the parent's responsibility to watch what their kids see and play, if they think a video game is too violent then they do not have to buy it, as simple and as easy as that. But what is crossing the line? Even though some games are in the 17+ category, are those video games portraying positivity to young adults? For example, the game “Call of Duty” is a video game for the console “X-box” and is one of the best selling games in the world. The purpose of the game is to shoot people, and people think this game is fun. A game with no purpose other than to shoot people is not putting out a good influence on people.
The games that kids have which would be rated all ages aren’t all appropriate either, for example the racing games. The racing games are usually for kids and portray competiveness which children should not be learning at a small age. Yet, the majority of them require logic and creativity, which is a plus for kids to be learning at their age. All in all, it is the parents responsibility to watch what their kids watch and play. If they have their kids watch appropriate music videos and video games then there is not a problem, the other games that show violence can be played at a later age, when it is more appropriate.