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Gaming

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Original poster

Grand Theft Auto - please help!

45 replies

Jacblue · 01/12/2019 00:06

I’m not letting my 13 year old have this 18 game, even though his dad would let him if it weren’t for me. He says all his mates have it and he’s being teased at school for not (he’s said this untruthfully before to get something he wants), but I feel like I’m fighting a losing battle as hubby’s cousin has let her 13yr old have it, so has a close friend and my sister has let her 12yr old! Son is getting really rude and nasty to me about it, but I feel so strongly that’s it’s such a horrible game. I’m alone on my decision and don’t know if I should stick to my guns or if I’m being unreasonable. I would welcome any advice in either direction.

OP posts:

gamerchick · 07/12/2019 16:54

Just because your parents are irresponsible Ebony doesn't mean everyone else should be.

Age ratings are there for a reason and 10 is nowhere close to 18.

FixTheBone · 07/12/2019 17:01

You should give him a choice - GTA V, or he could have some booze and access to pornhub - maybe he'd like the gangbang section or something....

Of course you shouldn't let a 13 year old play this game.

Ebonyandivory2 · 08/12/2019 17:22

Piss off @gamerchick it’s a bloody game. Some people are able to separate it from reality. As far as I’m aware he doesn’t go out mugging people or stealing cars so it clearly hasn’t affected him has it

BlueEyedFloozy · 08/12/2019 18:55

Ebony it's not just about seperating reality from fiction - it's also normalising and desensitising young impressionable minds to what should be highly inappropriate and criminal acts.

Would you let your 10 year old watch a movie with graphic rape, murder and drug taking scenes?

gamerchick · 08/12/2019 19:40

*Would you let your 10 year old watch a movie with graphic rape, murder and drug taking scenes?#

Sometimes I wonder.

tornmum1 · 08/12/2019 22:22

Where are the graphic rape scenes in gta? I got the game for him as I had played it and there is a single mission in the story mode which isn't really the 'mode' he plays, which you have to work really hard to get which involves a slight bit of graphic assault, however you have to dig deep to get to the sex and nudity in the game.

Berrylove · 08/12/2019 22:27

90% of my friends as well as me and my brother all played this game from waaaay younger than the age rating, I’ve played them all. They’re amazing games, you get really creative with them, I’ve never once wanted to commit an actual crime and honestly anyone that does want to commit a crime didn’t want to do it because of the game, they were already messed up. It’s not all violence like you think. You can build race tracks for your friends, skydive, even do a firework display.

TreeSwayer · 08/12/2019 22:42

I haven't got it and my sons are 16 and 13. I always find it interesting that some parents will let their children play 18+ games and yet would you let them watch 18+ slasher films, have access to porn, let them drink vodka, drive your car?

Where do you draw the line? The whole prostitute, kill her get your money back, driving into people, drug run etc is enough for me to say no.

My sons have gaming computers and an incredible amount of games to play. None of them involve the above themes.

Professional people whose job it is to rate games say it is a particular rating for a reason. I trust those people.

BlueEyedFloozy · 08/12/2019 22:43

I didn't say there were graphic scenes in GTA, the fact that you purposefully commit crimes and that sexual assaults can be carried out for "fun" means that the game is totally inappropriate for a child. Just as it would be to watch these things take place.

My DH owns the game, I'm not saying that playing it turns out rapist's/murderers but it does desensitise people to it - especially as they are the ones actively "committing" crimes rather than just watching them.

There are plenty of other racing games out there that are suitable for younger kids because they don't promote misogynistic and criminal activity.

Berrylove · 08/12/2019 22:56

@BlueEyedFloozy what sexual assaults are carried out in the game? I don’t remember any. I feel like it’s more of a ‘you know these things are unacceptable to do in real life so that’s why it’s fun to do them in a game’ because nothing bad happens, nobody actually gets hurt. Isn’t it just the same as in racing games where you smash the crap out of your car crashing into walls and other drivers? That wouldn’t be okay in real life but is fun in virtual reality.

gamerchick · 08/12/2019 23:03

It always amazes me the lengths people will go to defend a game the makers themselves said wasn't suitable for kids.

Give your kid a fruit shoot and a sausage roll and you're all kinds of wrong. But a video game where you can get a blow job is fine for them to stumble across or watch a how to on YouTube.

The brain boggles

BlueEyedFloozy · 08/12/2019 23:04

" feel like it’s more of a ‘you know these things are unacceptable to do in real life so that’s why it’s fun to do them in a game’ because nothing bad happens, nobody actually gets hurt"

Which is also known as desensitisation. You're breaking the Taboo, albeit in a game, but in doing so it's perpetuating the fantasy which is fine for a level minded adult but not so much in a child.

BlueEyedFloozy · 08/12/2019 23:09

Exactly @gamerchick!

GTA is the only game that even my laid back DH wouldn't compromise on. I'm not particularly strict on age ratings but there are some content that I just don't think kids should see, a movie where the content can be explained and discussed is one thing but a "game" which encourages them to be active in that content is completely different.

Berrylove · 08/12/2019 23:10

I was a child when I did these things in a game, I did the old killing the prostitute after the act to get my money back and many other things. I’ve turned out absolutely fine, I’ve never done anything violent in my life or even thought about doing so. Like I said, if someone commits a crime after they played these games, the crime was inevitable anyways. They were already messed up long before they played the game.

BlueEyedFloozy · 08/12/2019 23:17

FFS... It's NOT about the player becoming a criminal.

It's about what is APPROPRIATE for a child to view/take part in!

I wouldn't expose a child to graphic prostitution, drugs, assault or murder on TV or in the cinema so why is it ok to do so in as part of a game?

There is absolutely no reason whatsover that can justify it because there are a lot of other appropriate materials out there which is less violent and/or marked for their age range

gamerchick · 08/12/2019 23:17

Well thinking that it's absolutely ok for a 10 yr old to actively do that stuff in a game that they shouldn't be playing kinda proves you absolutely haven't turned out fine.

I wouldn't want a child of mine desensitised like that even a little bit, where their decision making for future generations is off kilter.

Berrylove · 08/12/2019 23:33

Doesn’t the world already expose your child to all that stuff anyways? Maybe not directly but through the news, magazines they may have even just walked past in a shop, word of mouth, books, let alone things they will already learn about in school! it’s all out there already.
I assure you, I’ve turned out just fine 😂

BlueEyedFloozy · 08/12/2019 23:35

I can't control what he accesses outside of the house.

I can control what he accesses in it.

That's kind of my job. As a parent...

BlueEyedFloozy · 08/12/2019 23:42

Sorry, control was the wrong word.

I moderated what goes on the house - not control. We have reasoned discussions about these things if/when they come up rather than me just shutting the topic down or giving him free reign.

ShekelOfAkkad · 15/12/2019 21:38

This reply has been deleted

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