Video games don't lead to violence, Virginia Tech researcher says

President Trump cited video games as potential cause of mass shootings

BLACKSBURG, Va. – Some experts are urging politicians not to blame video games for violence after two mass shootings in less than 24 hours over the weekend.

New controversy has resurfaced over violent video games after President Donald Trump’s address to the nation Monday.

"We must stop the glorification of violence in our society. This includes the gruesome and grisly video games that are now commonplace. It is too easy today for a troubled youth to surround themselves with a culture that celebrates violence," Trump said.

10 News spoke with an expert at Virginia Tech who said science disputes that claim.

"There's a real interest to try to say, 'Oh, this is bad for you,'" said Jimmy Ivory, a professor in Virginia Tech’s department of communication. "We know a lot of things that affect serious violent crime, but violent video games is not one of them."

Ivory has researched the impact of violent video games for years.

"Does it do anything to you to sit and watch media violence for a long time? And it's very hard to say it doesn't, but we haven't really done a good job of figuring out what. We do know that what it probably does not do to you is make you a criminal or not," Ivory said.

In the end, Ivory said it's up to parents to make the best decision for their children but that it takes more than a game to make a murderer.

"It's fine to follow your moral compass about what to show them. It doesn't necessarily always mean that scientifically, you're saving them from harm. You could just be exposing them to what you believe is right," Ivory said.


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