Television and Children

Television and Children
Michael Bertleff
Com/156
November 18, 2012
Pamela Talley

Television and Children

The year is 2012 and the amount of violence children are exposed to has increased in many forms of media. Over 40 years ago, all society had to worry about was the violence on television and movies. Now society has to protect children from exposure to violence on the video games they play and from social networks on the Internet. Parents want to keep the children as innocent and pure, knowing it would be asking the impossible. It is hard to protect the children knowing there are so many possible ways for them to be exposed. Parents can however, make it a point while they are young to do the part of preparing the children of what is appropriate and what is not in media violence. It is important for all parents to do their part, because children are exposed to more violence on television, video games, and the Internet, and the effects have become a health risk.
Since the beginning days of television, there have been issues relating to the effects of television violence on children. Studies have shown that children exposed to media violence experience increased aggressive behavior. Even with this evidence not much has changed to decrease how much violence is shown to children. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, (American children from a very young age to late teenagers spend a quarter of the day on media television, commercial or self-recorded video games, print, radio, recorded music, computer, and the Internet, Media & Youth 2001). Depending on if the children are using multiple media at the same time; the amount of time used during the day could average out to a higher number. By the time children reach their late teens they will have seen tens of thousands of acts of violence. Children viewing this much violence over the years means there have been many hours where they could have been socializing with friends or reading books. Also, during this period of time using media can involve health issues, such as becoming over weight. If the child spends too much time in front of a television, they will not be very active, and will gain weight. An Australian study explains how children who watch more than 20 hours a week can make them twice as likely to become overweight or obese compared to those who do not (Wake, Hesketh & Waters, 2003). Some of this time playing games or watching television could be utilized better by playing outside or getting involved in a sport with the school.
Unlike television, the influence of video games on children’s physical and mental health has not been reviewed. Media types, such as video games and the Internet have been associated with more violence than television. When children play violent video games, many of them want to mimic what the characters did. Even if children watched a game that is played, they want to act out aggressively. Video game violence has a different effect on children. After playing a violent video game, children would show significant decreases in pro-social behavior and helping others, and increasing aggressive thoughts and violent retaliation to provocation. The video games available today have more graphics and gore compared to games from the past. Children play games now because they are more lifelike. The problem that can arise is children sometimes cannot tell the difference between fantasy and reality. Games in the past were plain and easy to become bored with, today they can be addictive.
The Internet has come on the scene with much more to offer, but if not supervised it could be very addicting. People are able to get on the Internet and surf web for anything. There are many good uses for the Internet, such as research and social media. The research needs to be reviewed to be sure the information is reliable and accurate, because anyone can create a web site. The Internet also has social media sites that are useful, like Facebook and YouTube to communicate with your friends and family. Being on the Internet can cause health issues If on for extended periods of time. One of these health issues to be concerned with is depression, if a child decides to be on the Internet for long periods of time, it means less time with friends and a social life. Children will also start to avoid the hobbies that once took up some of their time. Skipping school can even be a result of children addicted to the Internet. One of the big concerns with the Internet is children can easily access pornographic material. According to Reeks A (2005) “For the beginners as young as four, consider confining online exploration to web addresses which will be child-safe for TV, movies, music, and games to world history, science, and trivia”. Juvenile users face inadvertent exposure to pornography from users on the Internet. Anyone on the Internet is able to contact a child’s account from a pornographic site if the parent account does not take precautions. A parent can protect their child from inappropriate material by informing their child of what to look out for and to block sites from having contact with their child.
Violence from television, video games, and the Internet can be viewed at a minimum with discipline. Parents need to put more effort into knowing what their children are viewing on television and the video games played. Many households have a television on most of the day as an environment for children not to get bored. According to Edgar and Edgar, (these are the homes where the television is the babysitter Edgar & Edgar 2008).There are many parents who use the television as a babysitter when they are busy, which lets the children view anything they want. The television shows many forms of inappropriate material like porn, violent movies, unnecessary cursing, and sexual content. Parents need to become more involved with their children and show they want to make sure children are not exposed to media violence. Parents could impose limits on the time allowed to use media devices, such as the Internet, television, and video games. They can sit down and let them know what material is appropriate and what is not. By doing so, they have a better understanding of what their parents want and what they do not want them viewing.
The more people that can get involved with helping parents to reduce the media violence children are viewing the better. The government could be one who could do more to make it easier for parents. The fact that the government has made it illegal to advertise alcohol, cigarettes, and pornography to children helps, but they need to do more about the violence shown to children through media. With televisions built with v-chips installed in them, channels that allow the use of violence and sexual content can be blocked so that children cannot view them. Parents need to do their part though, because even though they knew their television had the v-chip, only two thirds of the use it (Kaiser Family Foundation, 2000). Only they can set appropriate settings to avoid their child from viewing inappropriate violence.
Children have been exposed to many forms of media violence over the years. They are losing quality time to read and socialize, which are very important for children. Children are gaining the chances of becoming overweight from extended times in front of the television, playing video games, and the Internet. Among other problems parents need to pay attention to, violence from video games and television cause aggressive behavior. With children playing more video games, it is taking them away from essential responsibilities as a young child. The material children are able to view on the Internet, such as pornography, can be very inappropriate and it does not even have to be the child looking for it, it can come to them from someone else on the Internet. Parents can control many of these issues by taking the time to teach their child what they should and should not watch. Parents are allowed to make rules regarding the limit of time allowed in using media devices to protect the child’s wellbeing. The government also has a big part to play in protecting children from the many forms of media exposing children to violence. Televisions already have a tool for parents to use, so they need to take full advantage of it. With all the new types of media already exposing children to violence, if everyone does not do their part in protecting the children, more types of media will become available making the problem much worse. This country needs to do much more with the many types of media violence or this problem will only get worse, because children are exposed to more violence on television, video games, and the Internet, and the effects have become a health risk.

References:
Anderson, C. 2004. An update on the effects of playing violent video games. Journal of Adolescence 27: 113-122.
Edgar, D., & Edgar , P (2008. 30 September). Children and media forum. Melbourne: Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority.
The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. Kids and Media at the New Millennium: A Kaiser Family Foundation Report. Menlo Park, CA: The Henry Kaiser Family Foundation; 1999.
Reeks, A. (2005, March). Internet Safety. Parenting, 19(2).
Wake, M. Hesketh, K. , & Waters, E. (2003). Television, computer use and body mass index in Australian primary school children. Journal of Pediatrics and Child Health. 39 (2), 130-134.

References: Anderson, C. 2004. An update on the effects of playing violent video games. Journal of Adolescence 27: 113-122. Edgar, D., & Edgar , P (2008. 30 September). Children and media forum. Melbourne: Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority. The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. Kids and Media at the New Millennium: A Kaiser Family Foundation Report. Menlo Park, CA: The Henry Kaiser Family Foundation; 1999. Reeks, A. (2005, March). Internet Safety. Parenting, 19(2). Wake, M. Hesketh, K. , & Waters, E. (2003). Television, computer use and body mass index in Australian primary school children. Journal of Pediatrics and Child Health. 39 (2), 130-134.