Public Health Organizations Decry Entertainment Violence

Leaders of the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Psychological Association, the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, and the American Medical Association released a joint statement on the impact of entertainment violence on children yesterday at a Congressional public health summit, calling for more awareness of the effects of violent media on children and further study into the issue. The statement cited television, movies, music, and interactive games as "powerful learning tools, and highly influential media," the effects of which are "measurable and long-lasting." On games in particular, the statement said, "Although less research has been done on the impact of violent interactive entertainment (video games and other interactive media) on young people, preliminary studies indicate that the negative impact may be significantly more severe than that wrought by television, movies, or music." Specific studies supporting this conclusion were not cited in the statement. The full document is available in PDF format here.