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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think games have 18 certs for a reason?

192 replies

princelypurpleparrot · 26/08/2012 22:37

Can someone please explain why a video game has an 18 cert? We're not a gaming household (our DC's are only tiny) so I have no experience. Earlier BIL came over with DN who's 10, and he'd just bought him COD which I saw was an 18.

I pointed at the cert and said "that's there for a reason, you know", and BIL just said "ooooh!" to which I just shrugged.

Like I said, I know nothing about games, but I do know that there's usually quite a big jump between a 15 and an 18 film, and I assume it's the level of violence in a game that gives it an 18 certificate?

So, AIBU to think that a 10yo shouldn't be bought an 18 cert game?

OP posts:
JamieandTheOlympicTorch · 27/08/2012 17:34

The issue with a game is not just that the child is witnessing violence, but in First Person game, is perpetrating it (albeit it vitually) and getting an adrenaline rush from doing so. This worries me in relation to young children

noblegiraffe · 27/08/2012 17:40

I played GTA once for about half an hour, wandering around the streets shooting people with a shotgun. When I went out for a walk on a busy street straight after, the feeling of looking at people as targets and considering what violence to inflict on them stayed for quite some time. It was very unsettling and made me worry about those who play on these games for hours. They can get inside your head, no doubt about it.

Empusa · 27/08/2012 17:56

"When I went out for a walk on a busy street straight after, the feeling of looking at people as targets and considering what violence to inflict on them stayed for quite some time."

I find it depends on the game and the person, stuff like GTA didn't affect me like that, Portal on the other hand..

MrsTerryPratchett · 27/08/2012 19:44

I keep coming back to something I heard once which stuck with me. When Coke want you to buy their product, they show you a Coke. That is advertising. So, what happens when we show children constant images of death and violence and swearing and drugs?

Original poster
princelypurpleparrot · 27/08/2012 20:08

So does COD (no idea what GTA is I'm afraid) actually involve prostitutes and sex as well as general shooting and killing????? If it does it's much worse than I imagined it to be!!!!!

OP posts:
mercibucket · 27/08/2012 20:51

Grand theft auto has the sex n drugs, COD has the soldiers and zombies. I don't let mine play GTA, not that they've asked either. It's all CoD round here
Kids, esp boys, are violent, far more so than adults sometimes. Lord of the Flies country. They are not innocent vessels into which we pour our adult corruptions, they are mini versions of humans, and humans are not a particularly nice fluffy non-violent species. Mine were turning sticks into weapons aged 1 and 2, far before they'd seen any telly or witnessed real-life beatings.

ExitStencilist · 27/08/2012 20:54

not really a good reason to give them ever more violent imagery to play with, is it? Young boys play swords so lets give them the ability to realistically shoot people.....poor logic.

NovackNGood · 27/08/2012 20:56

GTA has a rocking car... there is no sex portrayed

Original poster
princelypurpleparrot · 27/08/2012 21:02

Aha, Grand Theft Auto! They've had that for ages. I had no idea that was an 18 too, just thought it was a racing game....

OP posts:
ExitStencilist · 27/08/2012 21:06

no, there is just the prostitutes (inc killing and robbing of same), drug dealing, drink driving, gang wars, etc etc. No actual sex though.

mercibucket · 27/08/2012 21:10

I didn't say it was a good reason to give them a violent game to play. I was thinking about Jamie's point - she was worried about young children not just witnessing violence but perpetrating it. I've always found mine to be quite naturally gifted at perpetrating violence, from the age of 1 in fact. Don't think that's learned behaviour

ExitStencilist · 27/08/2012 21:15

Really? Mine don't. They pretend, sure, but almost no actual violence. But I still don't see your logic.

mercibucket · 27/08/2012 21:51

That kind of is my point. They pretend. What are video games but another form of pretending? They pick up a stick, say bang bang, other kid rolls round on floor screaming wildly. They press a button, other soldier falls on floor screaming wildly. Kids pretend play violence. I just see it as a modern form of cowboys and indians tbh which is why it doesn't bother me. Ketchup becomes graphics blood.

DoMeDon · 27/08/2012 22:04

In the games there is blood, gore, heads exploding, swearing - there is also a lot of research around it - no good for kids.

tittytittyhanghang · 27/08/2012 22:07

Id agree with merci tbh. Video games are just pretend play. I used to pretend I was a goodie and would pretend to kill baddies. Haven't turned into a gun wielding maniac yet. I also used to squish animals on my sega and shoot birds on the nintendo. Im not an animal hurting sadist neither.

ExitStencilist · 27/08/2012 22:08

They aren't the same as pretending, you would hope that your young childrens imaginations aren't full of drug dealing, murdering and gang warfare. Mine arent, perhaps yours are now after playing these games. If you can't see the harm in violent 18 rated games for children, well I can't explain it any clearer.

DoMeDon · 27/08/2012 22:10

Graphics have moved on, levels of violence increased. This subject is depressing in that some do not get how damaging it is. LOOK IT UP.

ExitStencilist · 27/08/2012 22:14

its depressing that its not completely fucking obvious that active graphic violence is not good for children
I would have thought any parent with half a brain cell could see it, but it appears thats an error.

MrsTerryPratchett · 27/08/2012 22:17

As well, don't get me started on the disgusting homophobic, racist, sexist, violent nastiness that is online play. If your children are playing these games online, get educated. Nasty, nasty stuff I hear when my DH is playing. It is frequently badly moderated and your kids are hearing real people, not pretend game characters spouting some vile stuff.

nameuschangeus · 27/08/2012 22:21

I am stunned that there are people on here who think its acceptable to let their children play on these games when they're so young and impressionable.

Empusa · 27/08/2012 23:21

For those of you who think the ratings don't matter, do you also think they don't matter for films?

JamieandTheOlympicTorch · 28/08/2012 08:04

Merci

I have two boys as well. One of them is naturally more aggressive and gets wound up evn by Lego wii games, which is why I limit his playing of them. The difference between a game and real life is that there are no adverse consequences for committing sustained acts of violence in a game, in fact there are big rewards in terms of doing better in the game, but also in terms of raised levels of brain chemicals that make you feel good and " high"

I disagree with you totally and have observed that small children who I work with who are allowed access to violent games often have less self control in how they play with their friends, and they talk and draw and write stories about violent acts.

JamieandTheOlympicTorch · 28/08/2012 08:09

My children will even repeat words, phrases, ideas they've seen on the Simpsons - things like sexism that are meant ironically on the Simpsons, but my children take them literally because they are children and can't interpret things as we do. I can well imagine them absorbing ideas and acting on them.

JamieandTheOlympicTorch · 28/08/2012 08:11

titty

You pretended with your imagination and a stick. Not by seeing graphic images, hearing loud noise, holding a gun in your hand, and feeling the excitement that comes with playing a video game. Completely different from pretend play.

tittytittyhanghang · 28/08/2012 08:39

Ever play duck hunt? You held a gun in your hand and you aimed at the duck and shot. And when i was younger I watched action movies, and as a child of the 80's these included Rambo and a whole heap of Arnie movies. I suppose the difference is that I was able to distinguish that these were not real, were just films, pretend/acting and not how people behaved in real life. I didn't watch them and think oooh that looks fun, let go out and really hurt living things. Tbh any child that thought like that I would probably think had issues that weren't attributable to playing video games. I would probably think it does depend on the child.