Parents are more afraid of their kids playing Grand Theft Auto than drinking beer or watching porn says an informal poll on video game parenting site.
The poll asked 1,600 parents what they'd be most concerned about their 17-year-old child doing at a sleepover. Grand Theft Auto (19%) was second to smoking marijuana (49%) and closer to watching pornography (16%) and drinking beer (14%).
"Although these findings seem surprising at first, they hint at fears parents have about video games," says Cheryl K. Olson, Sc.D., co-author of Grand Theft Childhood. "To some parents, video games are full of unknowable dangers ... Of course, parents don't want their children drinking alcohol, but that's a more familiar risk."
Grand Theft Auto in particular has been a target for concerned parents and politicians. A hidden sex game in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas kicked off the Hot Coffee scandal in 2005, which was followed by lawsuits, protests, lawmaking attempts and negative press. Three years later, Grand Theft Auto is still one of the best-selling games of all time, but this poll hints that parents remain wary.
Source: WhatTheyPlay.com
Reader Comments (71)
Look, people, im 14, and ive played GTA since Grand Theft Auto 3 came out, and it hasn't effected my life AT ALL. and just so you know, there is NO SEX in the game, that "Hot Coffee" thing is a MOD some perv named Patrick W. made for all the sex-craved no life people out there. you have to DOWNLOAD the MOD to use HOT COFFEE. I have GTA IV, GTA Vice City, and GTA San Andreas. In NO WAY does it effect my every day life. It gives me something to do when im bored, and it is always entertaining because theres endless posibilities to things you can do in that game. If you have a problem with the game, its as simple as not buying the game. AS SIMPLE AS THAT. And if youre worried about other people playing it, why worry? its them, not you. GTA is way overrated and thought to be way too much for most kids, but you SERIOUSLY need to wake up and smell the coffee. And also, Rockstar (the company who makes the game) released a Non-Modifiable 2nd edition of GTA San Andreas that cant obtain the Hot Coffee Mod. Yes, it might be about dealing drugs, but in no way did it change me. All the game did was extend my life by giving me some laughs.
The only video game I've ever played is Pong. And yet, I'm an Honors (everything) student with a class load a full year ahead. It hasn't affected my social life since fifth grade. None of my classmates talk about video games anymore. That kind of takes a backseat to "Animal Farm" and what happened on "The Colbert Report" last ***ht. :)
if you don't know your kid well enough at this point - i mean to KNOW that some stupid game wouldn't influence them, then you shouldn't be a parent to begin with. what the hell happened to this country? it's like it was taken over - over***ht - by complete stupidity. judging by the television shows that are mostly stupid reality shows and just naivety towards their own government - it is truly a F#CKING frightening thing to behold. i feel like i'm in "invasion of the mind snatchers" and there is no common sense - good old fashioned people left - and i'm still young. aaarrrggghhhhhh!!!!!!
Parents only have themselves to blame.
It's so strange that parents constantly complain about GTA when you have to be at least 18 yrs. old to buy it. Obviously, someone has to buy it for them. I've been playing video games for at least 30 years. Everything from GTA to Mario Bros. It's never affected me negatively. If anything, video games have kept me young at heart and given me the want to escape and have some fun.
ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME???????? ARE THESE PEOPLE RETARDED???? Look games are games not real life drinking is to be done in moderation or if your gonna get plastered make plans to spend the ***ht dont drive or get a ride weed get the hell over it weed dont kill pplz its natural theres nothing wrong with a little bit with friends on the weekend people need to worry about more important things like teaching that shooting ppls in a game is NOT like real life i mean seriously be real parents and worry about ur kids u can control them not the rest of the world
what skippy(tweeb) was using is a half assed attempt at gamer speak. Nineteen, I have been playin GTA since i was like twelve, games are not the ISSUE! all that games are is an outlet, like football, base ball what have you. Me I lettered in football my junior year. Maintained a 3.5 gpa and played a ridiculous amount of video games. Have a stressful day come home hit the weights shoot some people burn some aggression. My thinking is its better to shoot some dude in a video game than in real life. No I don't have anger issues so no worries bout me goin on a rampage. Just puttin the gamers view out there. Oh and why is this still a shock? People have been trying to ban this game for over a decade now and it isn't working... DEAL WITH IT.
Here's an idea. How about if parents start being parents instead of their kids; best buddies and pals. Jeeeezzzz.
i have 3 chidren all are over 21 now, but all my kids grew up watching r rated movies since they were 5. i bought them all the in game and they watched all the violent and scary movies and all my kids are hard working adults and not one of them turned out to be a serial killer. if you tell them from a early age its make believe and its just a movie thats all it is.just like guns, guns dont kill people do, just like kids are violent cause they want to be games dont make you that way.
dont you have to be 18 to buy GTA?? guess what? my kid wouldnt be playing that game till they were 18 and thats after they had a job andbought it themselves...get then into sports or girl/boy scouts, something other thatn showing them killing., we have enough of that now....START BEING AN ACTIVE PARENT INVOLVED IN YOUR KIDS LIFE