Do video games really incite violence?
Steal a car. Run over a prostitute. Shoot some cops. Go to the next level. It is just another day in Grand Theft Auto – a game that opponents claim suggests greater need for video game regulation. The newest game in the series, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, and several other new video games including the bestseller Halo 2 have been accused of encouraging violence in the young people who play them. In particular, lawmakers and public interest groups concerned about game content claim that this genre of video games contain content inappropriate for children. They insist that such content can even encourage inappropriate behavior in players. Legislators across the U.S. have responded in kind by proposing a number of laws to limit the sale of violent or sexually explicit video games to minors. Several states including Maryland, Virginia, Georgia and Illinois have passed legislation to limit the sale of some games pending. Recent technological advances have made video games more realistic
