In the face of such emerging data, we are alarmed and concerned about the recent FTC report findings that the industry is deliberately marketing this kind of violent entertainment to young children. 10 video game producers released documents to the FTC indicating that boys younger than 17 were the primary or secondary target audiences for mature-rated games. Hollywood has systematically marketed violent, adult-oriented films, video games and music to children, using popular cartoon shows and children s shows to do it. Also, a substantial body of research has demonstrated the association of violence or aggressive behaviors with repeated exposure to televised violence. 4,5 Simply put, the more violent programming children view, the more likely they are to behave violently or aggressively.
Children exposed to violence are also likely to fear being a victim of violence.
The data are clear, convincing, and overwhelming. The repeated exposure to violent imagery desensitizes us to violence and greatly increases the risk that we will manifest violence in our own behavior. We must educate parents to the health risk of exposure to violent entertainment products in the same way we educate them to the health risk of exposure to infectious diseases. In 1996, the Motion Picture Association of America presented a proposed television rating system to the American Psychiatric Association. The American Psychiatric Association and American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry maintains their resolve to strive for a much stronger and clearer media rating system.