Post an article or a video that discusses video game, virtual reality, or simulation ethics. What is your opinion of this article/video? What about this article intrigued you? Give your reaction to the article/video and address the ethical dilemmas presented in the article/video. Do you agree or disagree with the author/speaker? Why? What do you think the next steps are in making sure that the ethical issue(s) discussed are made safe for kids?
The authors have made credible claims and have addressed ethical issues from different perspectives with research. When I first came across this article, I was intrigued by the title because of the word “controversy.” I was never an avid gamer growing up, so I never knew that video games had ethical dilemmas. While reading, I was intrigued by how the five ethical dilemmas affect our youth. My first reaction was that I need to do more to advocate and set preventative measures to help students. I realized how relevant these issues are and the negative effects students are facing. For example, one student was so addicted that he “turned down a college scholarship” (Dang, Lee, & Nguyen, p.8). These instances of addiction are further supported by our readings. Such as Bresnahan and Worley explaining how Griffin became depressed and anxious due to an internet gaming disorder.
The ethical dilemmas presented in the article were violence, ratings, educational positions, stereotyping, and addictions. I agree with the speaker for the following reasons. Gentile stated that video games strongly correlate with increased aggression when the neurons fire together (Gentile et al., 2011, p.765). From personal observation, I know there are certain games rated inaccurately that children should not access, and that stereotyping exists in games due to males being the predominant players. Kuss and Griffiths support this idea by stating that 60% of gamers are male. Preventative precautions need to be set to protect kids from these ethical issues. Updating the policies and regulations in place is a great place to start. Companies should create rating scales that will effectively rate the game’s entirety and keep higher rated games locked up. Lastly, we should educate parents to be more “cautious about the games their kids are playing” (Dang, Lee, & Nguyen, pg 10).