Did you know that brothels filled with sex robots exist in the real world – not just in cheesy science fiction b-movies? These are not your granddad’s blow-up dolls. They are extremely life-like with medical-grade artificial skin that warms and lubricates, have pupils that dilate, and they can even hold a conversation. Sex robots are a growing industry with a market valuation estimated to be in the $30 billion range! In today’s GKIS article, we discuss arguments made for and against the use of sex robots as well as the ethical issues associated with them.
What is a sex robot?
A sex robot is anything that combines technology and sex for the purpose of pleasure. For this article, the term will be applied to anatomically correct, life-like androids. These androids can speak and come in all kinds of shapes, sizes, age ranges, and species, and can be made to look like whoever or whatever you want them to look like. Not only can they hold a conversation with you, but they can be programmed to simulate specific scenarios and make specific responses to actions and phrases.
If stories like these have you freaking out, imagine what your kids are reading! Start a critically-important family dialogue about screen safety and help them learn the risks of digital injury with our Social Media Readiness Course for tweens and teens. We give you the answers you are looking for and help you to avoid the quicksand in the electronic jungle!
Arguments Being Made for Sex Robots
If your mind is blown by what this might mean for the future of human society, you are not alone. Here are some arguments made that you may not have thought of yet.
The Capitalist Argument
There appears to be a niche market for sex robots. In simple terms, this means that the need for robot manufacturing would result in the creation of new jobs for people.
The Compassionate Argument
Some people have trouble finding a partner. For these people, it could be considered cruel to keep them from getting their physical and emotional needs met. Rather than leave them lonely, a robot partner may result in better life satisfaction and reduced mental illness rates.
The It’s Better than the Alternative Argument
One of the biggest arguments being made for the use of sex robots is that it could calm the urges of those who have socially abhorrent proclivities. They argue that sex robots may prevent pedophiles and rapists from harming other people or animals. There is also the argument that it could lead to less human trafficking and prostitution, thus less human suffering.
The Practice Makes Perfect Argument
With practice comes improvement in performance and increased confidence. For those filled with self-doubt or anxiety about pursuing healthy relationships, sex robots could fulfill a therapeutic need. Robot sensors and vocal feedback can provide much-need performance improvement instruction.
The All the Eggs in One Sex Robot Argument
There appears to be a population of people who are not keen on the idea of pursuing sexual relationships with other human beings. For these individuals, sex robots float their boat. If they don’t harm others, wouldn’t their private behaviors be acceptable? Some people like pepperoni on their pizza, while others like anchovies. In this case, it is just a matter of taste.
Arguments Being Made Against Sex Robots
The Operant Reinforcement Argument
The most concerning argument being made against sex robots is that providing people with androids that look like children and that have “rape settings” could increase the chance of sexual predators acting out their fantasies in real life. Sexual assault is often more about exerting dominance and power over another person than it is about sexual gratification. For these people, sex robots could reward pathological behavior and potentially increase the likelihood that people with androids harm others.
The Stereotypes and Objectification are Bad Argument
Another concerning argument of significance is that sex robots could lead to the further objectification of women and children. If one treats a robot object like a human, it’s not a far leap to then treat a human-like a robot.
The Population Decimation Argument
Some people say that this will lead to a sharp decrease in the human population due to a decline in pregnancy rates caused by a wide acceptance of sex robots.
The Social Isolation Argument
There is a valid argument that more time spent alone with technology could socially isolate people and further harm those who are suffering from psychological issues, such as depression, stemming from a lack of human contact.
The Use It or Lose It Argument
Some people argue that people will stop having sex with other people if sex robots become socially acceptable. After all, true intimacy is not about subservience and always being ready to be acted upon without having to give consent. Once we quit practicing relationship behaviors that lead to a mutual sharing and vulnerability that help us grow as emotional human beings, we may forget how to do it. Human beings are adaptable. By not having to do the hard things like express emotion, tolerate inconvenience and distress, and get consent for sexual advance, those skills may erode and leave us deficient in our very humanness. Not only may we treat others like robots, but we may become more robotic ourselves.
Ethics
Taking into account the arguments above, what do you think? Is interacting with sex robots right or wrong?
Because it is unlikely that legislators will be able to outlaw sex robots in favor of American civil rights, perhaps we should consider how robot manufacture, purchase, and use should be regulated. The UK already implemented a law forbidding child sex robots. By becoming informed and forming well-thought-out opinions and evidenced arguments, we are all best equipped to protect our families and ourselves. As our world becomes more and more technologically integrated, we will need to ask hard questions and adapt.
How to Stay Informed
Dr. B is in a unique position to help you to learn more about the potential dangers that your family could face when engaging with technology. She can help you to navigate safely throughout your journey as a practicing psychologist, university professor, and mother. You can download the free GKIS Connected Family Agreement simply by creating a GKIS account on our website home page. In Dr. B’s book, Screen Time in the Mean Time, she discusses and attacks the issue of raising a family while safely integrating technology rather than fearing it. Also, our Screen Safety Essentials Course provides useful tips about how to make the internet a safer place for your family, parenting and family coaching information, support, and other valuable information. It is our one-stop shop with fun teaching materials for parents and the whole family!
Thanks to CSUCI intern, Michael Watson for researching the ethical and economic arguments for and against sex robots.
I’m the mom psychologist who will help you GetKidsInternetSafe.
Parents in my practice and GetKidsInternetSafe subscribers commonly ask me about the impact of pornography on kids. They comment on how different today’s world is from when we were young. Most people even assume that kids today are more promiscuous than we were. But here is what you may be surprised to learn: even though today’s teens demonstrate more acceptance of casual and what we used to consider deviant sexual practices (like oral sex, anal sex, same-gender sex, and polyamory), teens are more sexually responsible than previous generations. In fact, despite popular misconceptions that teens are hooking up casually, the truth is they are “talking” more than dating and having sex later and with fewer partners than previous generations. They are also more likely to use contraception, resulting in teen pregnancy rates being at an all-time low. That gives me hope that, because of American’s more casual attitude toward sex, we are doing a better job at sex education and supervision. To that end, I’ve included this section of my book, Screen Time in the Mean Time: A Parenting Guide to Get Kids and Teens Internet Safe, free for GKIS blog readers. Hang on to your hats parents, no matter how open-minded you are, you are likely to find some of this information concerning and IMPORTANT!
Online pornography is popular and easily available. We don’t know how popular it actually is though, because a large number of pornography websites are reticent to share traffic numbers. Best estimates are that 13% of web searches are for online pornography.[i] What we do know is that the number of viewers and time spent viewing is growing. A particularly popular single pornographic site, Pornhub’s 2018 Year in Review reported:
“Visits to Pornhub totaled 33.5 billion over the course of 2018, an increase of 5 billion visits over 2017. That equates to a daily average of 92 million visitors and at the time of this writing, Pornhub’s daily visits now exceed 100 million. To put that into perspective, that’s as if the combined populations of Canada, Poland and Australia all visited Pornhub every day! …When they’re not busy watching videos, Pornhub’s users enjoy socializing, with nearly 64 million private messages sent and 7.9 million video comments left. … More than 141 million people took the time to vote for their favorite videos, which incidentally is more people than voted in the last U.S. presidential election.… Once again, the United States continues to be the country with the highest daily traffic to Pornhub, followed by the United Kingdom, India, Japan, Canada, France, and Germany.”[ii]
Furthermore, today’s online pornography is nothing like the images from our fathers’ Playboy magazines. Most pornographic videos are scripted to display fantastical versions of the sexual desires and prowess of men.[iii] Most often, that means scenes with women as sexual objects who are seemingly delighted to be the willing and passive victim of demeaning verbal and physical aggression, often by one or more men at a time. Porn content is rich with violent and fetish acts that bear little resemblance to loving intimacy. As customers satiate to milder versions of pornographic activity, clever content developers produce increasingly risqué content to keep their customers browsing. The top seven Pornhub searches for 2018 were lesbian, hentai, milf, stepmom, Japanese, mom, and teen.
With popularity and ease of access through mobile screens and gaming consoles, many kids and teens intentionally seek and are being accidentally exposed to, inappropriate sexual images and videos. Based on a set of EU studies, Kierkegaard (2008) states that children have access to Internet pornography at the average age of eleven years old.[iv] Not only are kids and teens seeking sexual content for titillation, but many kids are also relying on online pornography as their primary source of sexual education.[v] Alarmingly, I am seeing more and more kids intentionally seeking pornographic content and creating and exchanging nude images and videos. How often are children viewing porn, and, when they do, what kinds of harm may result from that exposure?
Estimates from research studies vary widely, most suggesting that a minority of adolescents actually access online pornography.[vi] However, in one study conducted in 2008 with 562 undergraduates, 93% of boys and 62% of girls reported that they were exposed to pornography during adolescence.[vii] In my clinical experience, it is quite common due to unfiltered smartphone and tablet use among younger children. Studies show that kids tend to consider what they see online as attractive, normative, and risk-free and may go as far as emulating it.[viii][ix] The online worlds of MMORPGs increasingly feature virtual sexual assault and pornographic behaviors, and popular television series deliver increasingly violent content and explicit themes.
Who is most at risk for online pornography consumption?
The typical adolescent online pornography user is a boy who is more pubertally advanced, a sensation-seeker, and has weak or troubled family relations.[x] Boys are more likely to be exposed at an earlier age, to see more images, to see more extreme images (e.g., rape, child pornography), and to view pornography more often; while girls reported more involuntary exposure.[xi]Statistics demonstrate that female viewing is going up every year. Pornhub’s 2018 Year in Review report stated, “2018 saw the proportion of female visitors to Pornhub grow to 29%, an increase of 3 percentage points over 2017.”[xii] Depression and rule-breaking are also risk factors.[xiii][xiv]
What affects does viewing pornography have on kids?
Research demonstrates that pornography use among children, teens, or adults has been associated with:
Cynical attitudes about intimacy, fidelity, and love[xv]
Desensitization and habituation with explicit content, meaning the user’s appetite changes over time from less extreme to more extreme forms of pornography to get the same intensity of enjoyment. This also validates deviant sex practices and potentially lowers inhibitions to engage in inappropriate sexual interactions online and offline[xvii]
Attitudes supporting violence against women[xviii]
More permissive sexual attitudes, especially in regard to the place of sex in relationships[xix][xx][xxi]
Greater experience with casual sexual behavior[xxii][xxiii]
More sexual aggression, both in terms of perpetration and victimization[xxv]
Three times more sexually aggressive behavior when exposed to nonviolent porn[xxvi]
Twenty-four times more sexually aggressive behavior when exposed to violent porn[xxvii]
A clinically impairing addiction, called Hypersexual Disorder.
Causal research would require purposely exposing children to pornographic content. Because that is not safe or ethical, all research studies about child exposure to online pornography are correlational. We cannot conclusively say whether online pornography causes certain attitudes or behaviors. Obviously, the correlation findings quoted above are concerning. Blocking kids from online pornography is common sense. Not only is viewing pornography an issue, but more active sexual role playing online also makes kids vulnerable to sexual predators. These attitudes and behaviors are impactful in the short term and may also lead to problematic life-long trauma and intimacy issues.[xxviii]
If this information is useful to you, please share it with friends and family. Too many of us bury our heads to the reality of online pornography and child access. There’s so much to know! If you are looking for a one-source guide to screen risk, benefit, and the parenting strategies that can strengthen your parent-child relationship while keeping them safer, pick up a copy of Screen Time in the Mean Time on Amazon. And for a step-by-step guide to setting up your home for enrichment and screen safety, you won’t want to miss my Connected Family Course. Parents tell me all the time how much they’ve appreciated having the information for prevention rather than hearing it AFTER they end up in my psychology office. Education matters!
I’m the mom psychologist who helps you GetKidsInternetSafe.
[iii]Brown, J., & L’Engle, K. (2009). “X-Rated: Sexual Attitudes & Behaviors Associated with U.S. Early Adolescents’ Exposure to Sexually Explicit Media.” Communication Research36, 129, 133.
[iv]Kierkegaard, S. (2008). Cybering, online grooming & age-play. Computer Law & Security Report, 24(1), 41–55.
[v]Kanuga, M. & Rosenfeld, W. (2004). “Adolescent Sexuality & the Internet: The Good, the Bad, & the URL.” Journal of Pediatrics & Adolescent Gynecology17, 117, 120
[vi]Peter, J., & Valkenburg, P. (2016): Adolescents & Pornography: A Review of 20 Years of Research, The Journal of Sex Research, DOI: 10.1080/00224499.2016.1143441
[vii]Sabina, Chiara, et al. “The Nature and Dynamics of Internet Pornography Exposure for Youth.” CyberPsychology & Behavior, vol. 11, no. 6, 2008, pp. 691–693., doi:10.1089/cpb.2007.0179.
[viii]Rich, M. (2005). “Sex Screen: The Dilemma of Media Exposure & Sexual Behavior.” Pediatrics116, 329, 330.
[ix]Zillmann, D. (2000). “Influence of Unrestrained Access to Erotica on Adolescents’ & Young Adults’ Dispositions Towards Sexuality.”Journal of Adolescent Health27, 41, 42.
[x]Peter, J. & Valkenburg, P. (2016): Adolescents & Pornography: A Review of 20 Years of Research, The Journal of Sex Research,DOI: 10.1080/00224499.2016.1143441
[xi]Sabina, Chiara, et al. “The Nature and Dynamics of Internet Pornography Exposure for Youth.” CyberPsychology & Behavior, vol. 11, no. 6, 2008, pp. 691–693., doi:10.1089/cpb.2007.0179.
[xiii]Wolak, J., Mitchell, K., & Finkelhor. D. (2007). “Unwanted & Wanted Exposure to Online Pornography in a National Sample of Youth Internet Users.” Pediatrics119.2: 247-57. Web.
[xiv]Ybarra, M., et al. (2011). “X-Rated Material & Perpetration of Sexually Aggressive Behavior Among Children & Adolescents: Is There a Link?” Aggressive Behavior37, 1, 3, 7.
[xv]Zillmann, D. (2000). “Influence of Unrestrained Access to Erotica on Adolescents’ & Young Adults’ Dispositions Towards Sexuality.”Journal of Adolescent Health27, 41, 42.
[xvi]Peter, J. & Valkenburg, P. (2016): Adolescents & Pornography: A Review of 20 Years of Research, The Journal of Sex Research, DOI: 10.1080/00224499.2016.1143441
[xvii]Zillmann, D. (2000). “Influence of Unrestrained Access to Erotica on Adolescents’ & Young Adults’ Dispositions Towards Sexuality.”Journal of Adolescent Health27, 41, 42.
[xviii]Hald, Gert, Martin, et al. (2009). “Pornography & Attitudes Supporting Violence Against Women: Revisiting the Relationship in Nonexperimental Studies.” Aggressive Behavior35, 1, 3, 5.
[xix]Peter, J., Valkenburg, P., & Schouten, A. (2006). Characteristics & motives of adolescents talking with strangers on the Internet. Cyberpsychology & Behavior, 9, 526–530.
[xx]Peter, J. & Valkenburg, P. (2016): Adolescents & Pornography: A Review of 20 Years of Research, The Journal of Sex Research, DOI: 10.1080/00224499.2016.1143441
[xxi]Zillmann, D. (2000). “Influence of Unrestrained Access to Erotica on Adolescents’ & Young Adults’ Dispositions Towards Sexuality.”Journal of Adolescent Health27, 41, 42.
[xxii]Peter, J. & Valkenburg, P. (2016): Adolescents & Pornography: A Review of 20 Years of Research, The Journal of Sex Research, DOI: 10.1080/00224499.2016.1143441
[xxiii]Zillmann, D. (2000). “Influence of Unrestrained Access to Erotica on Adolescents’ & Young Adults’ Dispositions Towards Sexuality.”Journal of Adolescent Health27, 41, 42.
[xxiv]Peter, J. & Valkenburg, P. (2016): Adolescents & Pornography: A Review of 20 Years of Research, The Journal of Sex Research, DOI: 10.1080/00224499.2016.1143441
[xxv]Peter, J. & Valkenburg, P. (2016): Adolescents & Pornography: A Review of 20 Years of Research, The Journal of Sex Research, DOI: 10.1080/00224499.2016.1143441
[xxvi]Ybarra, M., et al. (2011). “X-Rated Material & Perpetration of Sexually Aggressive Behavior Among Children & Adolescents: Is There a Link?” Aggressive Behavior37, 1, 3, 7.
[xxvii]Ybarra, M., et al. (2011). “X-Rated Material & Perpetration of Sexually Aggressive Behavior Among Children & Adolescents: Is There a Link?” Aggressive Behavior37, 1, 3, 7.
[xxviii]Villani, S. (2001). “Impact of Media on Children & Adolescents: A 10-Year Review of the Research.”Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry40, 392, 399.
I’m curled up on a weathered leather couch in a beautiful loft barn we rented for the weekend. A last of summer cozy couples’ retreat in the rolling hills of wine country. We are waking up to soft braying of ponies, early morning foggy walks in vineyards ripe for harvest, and a leisurely breakfast of fresh eggs, hot mint tea, fresh squeezed watermelon and orange juice, and buttery warm banana bread left by our generous hosts. Later we are meeting our friends for a delicious farm to table lunch from local farms and orchards. Best of all…a weekend of fun with old and new friends before a busy school year starts. Crazy grateful for the rejuvenation from the sunshine and laze of summer.
Now that my kids are teens, we are able to sneak away sometimes, guilt-free. If you have little ones and can’t seem to sneak off for weekends yet, don’t despair. It’s coming one day. And when you do, you’ll spend much of it fondly remembering being frazzled and sleep-deprived with your little ones. Each phase of parenting has its challenges and its pleasures. In the spirit of sharing and friendship, I’m taking fifteen minutes out in this sweet little farm kitchen to share the fun content producers of Access Hollywood Live helped me develop for my segment Monday on Online Teen Slang: Should We Worry? I hope you’ve set aside time each week to curl up with steaming hot tea for a moment of solitude to read your GKIS article. They are written to gently pepper you with useful information about tech, parenting, and safety so you can teach during screen-free dinners with you and yours. ❤️ Now on to the basics of teen online slang.
Why is slang always changing? Is it to be ‘cool’ with friends?
Slang is an expression of culture. Youth culture changes rapidly and is based on popular memes, songs, and movies. Part of the excitement is that you have to be an integral part of the culture to keep up. No parents!
Teen Slang: The Bad News
Often reflects and teaches concepts you may not want your child to know.
Can be used to hide from parents and plan secret and even dangerous activities
Can be vulgar, offensive, or cruel.
Teen Slang: The Good News
Young people who use slang are striving to form their own, independent, adult identities.
Sharing slang provides a sense of belonging, and being ‘in-the-know’with friends.
Using slang is a celebration of being young and having fun.
Every generation creates its own slang, but why does it seem so different now? Has it evolved in the age of social media and smartphones?
Slang is not new. But with the web, kids have a bigger, private, more versatile playgroundto live in. They juggle lots of virtual identities, each with its own characteristics, slang, activities, and community on demand with thousands of members of their tribe connected at once. We had our neighborhood buddies and the telephone. Big difference.
Should parents attempt to use their teens’ slang as a way to try to relate to their kids, or is that getting into majorly uncool territory?
If you want them to roll around in agony and openly insult you, you should totally use their slang.
Should parents be worried about the slang their teens are using now, or is it no different than if they think back to when they were younger?
It’s different. It’s more dark and vulgar for sure.But the teens I see in practice and the ones I’m raising are still good people. They’ve just habituated to a more troubling slang culture overall. Parents should be worried if their kids are too “thirsty”to belong, because that would result in being too eager to join in and take risks. They should be worried if they’re too secretive. They should be worried if there’s evidence of sneaking and dangerous defiance. Otherwise, have fun with it. Of course, correct them when they cross over the line, but stay engaged. Allowing them some privacy is also important.
Another topic we want to touch on is the cultural sensitivity issue of using slang — many of the terms originate in African American or LGBTQ communities — how mindful should people of other communities be of this before being quick to just use any term?
In-groups are delicate. If a person intrusively hijacks slang from a group they haven’t earned a place in, it can look aggressive or demeaning. Slang provides information about boundaries and belonging.
How can people make sure it’s appropriate to use a term before they start using it?
Do your research before using slang, like observe and ask others, Google it, err on the side of caution.Teens brutally police each other to follow social morè’s, which may even slip into bullying. Let your teen know you have their back 100%, even when they make stupid mistakes. Even better, teach them that mistakes are part of learning and you expect them often. Rather than shame them when they’re hurting with a lecture, take them for a smoothly, show deep compassion, and share stories about how common and healthy mistakes are. Sometimes providing a fun distraction while it passes is what they need.
How to Spot Red Flags in Teen Slang Use & What to do About it:
Talk to your teen often. Let them DJ in the car and share funny videos to stay connected. Keep up on their friends and interests. Be you but with humor. Encourage their independence but reassure them you are being them 100%.
Keep an eye out for concerning behavioral changes like increased isolation, poor hygiene, reckless behavior, or darkened moods are things that may signal trouble.
Block dangerous websites and monitor screen use.
Bookmark helpful websites, like Urban Dictionary, and set google alerts.
Look out for defensiveness and changing the browser quickly or erasing it.
If you’re worried and they won’t talk to you, consider psychotherapy. It’s shocking the influence I have with teens as they blatantly reject their parents with the same advice. It can really turn the situation around.
Want to know which slang terms to pay attention to and if slang use leads to teens having sex? Check out my earlier article Online Slang That Parents Need to Know.
I’m the mom psychologist who helps you GetKidsInternetSafe.
Parents often sneak onto their teen’s phone and see something explicit, upsetting, or dangerous. Then they’re in the hard spot of telling their teen they were spying without permission and intervening appropriately. I believe screen monitoring is necessary with young, impulsive teens, but I also believe parents should tell their kids they are monitoring and filtering. It provides practice for thinking before posting, demonstrates that other parents and adults are also viewing, and reveals a willingness to work together about online choices. Security and parenting experts have disagreed with me, saying that if a parent reveals intent they will miss out on secret plans and sneaky behaviors. The controversy is real.
A GKIS subscriber asked what do when she saw inappropriate content on her teen’s phone after secretly monitoring. Here’s my response:
Parent honesty is important, because we lose credibility if we punish for sneaking and lying while we are sneaking and lying. The trust was breached when you saw that content without discussing the rules ahead of time. If not handled delicately, this could damage your relationship. For that reason, I suggest you put your ego at the door and get out a knife and fork, because you are going to have to eat crow and apologize. Where is it written that parents can’t make mistakes? Let’s face it. We are new at parenting teens just as kids are new at being teens. This adds up to a rocky road of successes, failures, stops, and starts.
First, schedule a time to have a private discussion with your teen when you will not be interrupted. Tell him the truth. Admit that you were concerned, and you screwed up. In hindsight you realized you should have had more safety parameters in place before you got to this point, and you should have told him that his screen use would be monitored. Express your concerns while validating that his loving and sexual feelings towards his girlfriend are normal and natural (assuming there were no safety or legal violations here). Explain your philosophy about what you think is appropriate regarding intimacy and relationships at his age. Assure him that you will keep his confidence. Don’t go telling grandma and Aunt Linda about the intimate details you uncovered. Let him know that these are his facts to share if he chooses to, not yours.
Second, ask him what suggestions he has to resolve the very real conflict of privacy versus safety. Actively negotiate screen safety parameters. Some of my GKIS Staging Tips apply, such as no screens in bedrooms, bathrooms, or behind closed doors and GKIS blackout times to optimize judgment and supervision. Also, consider if monitoring and filtering programs and apps apply in this situation. Keep in mind it is best not to tell him which specific programs you will be implementing. If your son is a young teen, then monitor more closely. If he is older, you may just want to set a lighter monitoring option. Most importantly, let him know what you plan and why. And absolutely consider his input. By the time he’s an adult, he should be mostly on his own off-screen and on.
Finally, plan relationship-building opportunities with your son to repair the damage done. Perhaps this means getting to know his girlfriend better so they understand that he has a family to take into consideration when it comes to friendship and love. Of course, they deserve privacy, but you may choose to set stricter limits for now. Keep in mind that not every mistake requires traditional discipline, like taking screens away. The humiliation of you reading his texts and the face-to-face conversation about it is probably consequence enough. The truth is, his best resource for keeping intimate relationships healthy is the support and competition for his time from his friends. He needs his friends right now.
I love playing video games! My first article discussed the benefits of gaming. But the truth is, most popular games aren’t designed for kids. They’re designed to attract us and keep us playing. The more we play, the more money the gaming industry makes. Violence and sex attract gamers. But research has demonstrated that exposure to this content can negatively affect a child’s brain. However, child development experts have not been able to pull violent games off the shelves. The best they’ve done so far is accept the game industry’s offer to develop their own rating system. Today’s GKIS article covers why experts are concerned about child exposure to video game violence and why the research hasn’t been enough to make a dent in the global game industry’s annual $183billion revenue.[1]
Most kids start playing video games before adolescence. Content, time spent playing, ability to be interactive, and player vulnerabilities must be considered when determining effect.[3] This makes for messy factors to control for quality research and controversial opinions about the risks of violent video games.
mental rotation, tracking, and toggling between tasks[5]
problem-solving
strategy building
goal setting
and increased confidence, social connection and networking, cooperation, and self-esteem.
Social benefits are particularly valuable for players who may be isolated in tiny towns or who have disabilities. Gaming can also teach important job skills and offer profitable e-sport tournament competition.
The Risks of Gaming
Research has demonstrated that gamers who play violent video games show more aggression toward others. It has also found that gamers show a decrease in friendliness, positivity, and helpfulness.[6] It’s also been demonstrated that gamers are less likely to emotionally react to violence over time. We call that sensitization to violence.
For example, a 2014 experiment also found that gamers were less likely to help and injured person, rated violent acts as less serious, and were less likely to respond to fights.[7]
Another study found that exposure to violence created the idea in children’s heads that violence is an acceptable form of problem-solving. It can also lead to a mean world syndrome, defined as a belief that the world is dark and dangerous.[8]
Video games are not designed for young kids.
Video game companies develop games for kids, but they amount to a small percentage revenue. The average age of gamers is 32-years-old.[14] Since 2009, the top-selling video games are rated mature.[15] Because of good marketing and pester power, a significant portion of those sales come from parents of young kids.
Young players are so common on video streaming sites and MMORPGs (massively multiplayer online role-playing games), they’re referred to as squeakers due to their child voices. Child predators hunt for victims on gaming platforms.
For example, in PokémonGo, predators have been reported to place lures, which are in-game items that spawn rare catches. Children close by will notice the new location and travel to catch the Pokémon unaware of the trap being set.[16]
Regulating Video Games
Attempts to block violent video game content from kids have been unsuccessful. Since the 1972 release of the first popular video arcade game, Pong, parents have worried about the impact of video gaming on their children. Just like our kids, we have largely become desensitized to its impact. From 1976, when parents succeeded in getting the video game Death Race pulled from the shelf due to the little gravestone that appeared when a character was killed, to now, we’ve come a long way. Or have we?
In response to video game players committing violence, several lawsuits have claimed that game manufacturers were negligent by selling violent content that is harmful to children. Few have succeeded due to first amendment (free speech) rights claims and insufficient evidence.
City ordinances attempting to limit gameplay by unaccompanied minors in public places have also failed. Law professors and psychologists argue that the evidence is too flimsy to make solid claims that video games cause violence. For instance, if video games cause aggression why is the rate of juvenile violent crime is at a thirty-year low?
A particularly impactful blow against state regulation was the United States Supreme Court ruling in Brown v. Entertainment Merchants Association (2011). This ruling concluded that the California law restricting the sale and distribution of violent video games to minors was unconstitutional. The ruling stated that “speech about violence is not obscene” and is “as much entitled to the protection of free speech as the best in literature.”
Video Gaming Rating System
To counteract consumer complaints and stop legislation, the video game industry created the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) in 1994. This voluntary and self-regulating board rates content and classifies video games based on the appropriate user age.
Most stores refuse to sell video games that don’t have an ESRB rating. Similar rating systems exist in other countries. Overall, ESRB ratings have been somewhat successful in limiting child access.
RP (Rating Pending) – this is placed on games that have not yet received a final ESRB rating
EC (Early Childhood) – suitable for ages 3+, these games tend to be educational and do not contain any inappropriate material
E (Everyone) – suitable for all ages, may contain mild fantasy or cartoon violence
E10+ (Everyone 10+) – suitable for ages 10+, may contain mild language, fantasy, or cartoon violence
T (Teen) – suitable for ages 13+, may contain violence, suggestive themes, crude humor, blood, infrequent use of strong language
M (Mature) – suitable for ages 17+, may contain intense violence, blood and gore, sexual content, strong language
A (Adults) – suitable for ages 18+, may contain prolonged scenes of intense violence, graphic sexual content, gambling with real currency
Tips for Parents
Check the ESRB ratings before purchasing.
Engage in video game play with your child to learn about the game’s content, and to model appropriate play.
Set clear rules as to how long play can be at home and away with your free GKIS Connected Family Agreement.
Monitor your child’s online gaming conversations to make sure there are not taken advantage of or threatened.
Set up gaming stations in a family community area (never the bedroom) to optimize supervision.
Encourage your child to engage in alternative activities for a healthy balance, learning, and enriched learning.
Thank you to CSUCI Intern, Dylan Smithson for providing us with an experienced and balanced perspective about gaming. If you missed his first article, Is Your Child a “Professional Gamer”?, it is well worth the read!
I’m the mom psychologist who will help you GetKidsInternetSafe.
[5] Holfeld, B., Cicha, J. & Ferraro, F. (2014). “Executive Function & Action Gaming among College Students.” Current Psychology Curr Psychol 34.2: 376-88. Web.
[8] Justin C. (2015) The Problem with Exposing Kids to Sexual and Violent Content. https://ifstudies.org/blog/the-problem-with-exposing-kids-to-sexual-and-violent-content/
[9] Laura S. (2013) 8 Ways Violent Games Are Bad for Your Kids http://www.huffingtonpost.com/laura-st-john/8-ways-violent-games_b_3875846.html
[10] Petry, N., & O’Brien, C. (2013). Internet Gaming Disorder & the DSM-5. Addiction 108.7: 1186-187. Web.
[11] Petry, N., Rehbein, F., Gentile, D., et al. (2014). An International Consensus for Assessing Internet Gaming Disorder Using the New DSM-5 Approach. Addiction 109.9: 1399-406. Web.
[12] Kuss, D., Griffiths, M., Karila, L., & Billieux, J. (2014). Internet addiction: A systematic review of epidemiological research for the last decade. Current Pharmaceutical Design, 20, 4026–4052. 10.2174/13816128113199990617
[13] Strittmatter, E., Parzer, P., & Brunner, R. (2016). “A 2-year longitudinal study of prospective predictors of pathological Internet use in adolescents.” Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 25(7): 725.
Dr. Bennett recently told me a story about her friend Abby’s first experience using the dating app Tinder. Her first date sounded perfect for a middle-aged woman new to the dating scene. Like her friends told her, she met her “match” for a quick drink. She knew better than to get into his car or reveal where she lived. They had a few drinks and then walked to a nearby restaurant for dinner. He was a gentleman, handsome and professional. She couldn’t wait to get home to tell her friends about him.
When she called my professor that night, Abby was beside herself excited about this guy. Dr. Bennett, quietly wondering if it was too good to be true, suggested that she Google him. A person’s digital footprint can reveal a lot. So, Abby Googled. You will never believe what she found out…
It turns out that the man of her dreams was everything he said he was. He was recently overseas as a military officer and had gotten out of a serious relationship several years before. But she also found out that the relationship ended with stalking, an attempted kidnapping, and years in federal prison. Her night went from fantasy to nightmare in a few keystrokes.
Today’s GKIS article reveals what every parent needs to know about the famous hook-up app recently turned dating app, Tinder.
With the rise of screen technology in full effect, the dating game has changed forever. Instead of going out to meet people, many teens and adults rely on dating apps to potentially meet their future soul mates. Or are they just looking for a casual hook up? This new hook up culture revolves heavily around the dating app, Tinder.
What is Tinder?
Tinder is a free dating app that you can use either on your mobile device or home computer. After signing up, you can connect with Facebook to merge your mutual friends, interests, and pictures with the Tinder app. There is a new feature to simply log in with a phone number. Tinder uses your location to match with other user’s close in proximity. If interested in one’s profile, users have the option to either “swipe right” which is a “go” or “swipe left” which indicates a “no.” In other words, play or pass. Once users are matched, meaning they both swiped right on each other’s profile, they can begin a conversation – whether it’s gifs (animated or static images) or messages.
What are Tinder’s popular features?
When linking Facebook to Tinder, you have access to a network of friends whom can potentially share similar interests.
The app works off of your geographic location, giving you an option to find matches within a specific radius. The user can match with people as close to 1 mile away and as far as 100 miles away. There is a setting where you can choose the maximum distance you prefer to swipe from.
Users can edit their profile and select certain photos, create a personal bio, and insert personal demographic information they would like to share.
In order to search for matches, users swipe through profiles until they are matched with another user. Once matched, users have the option to message or keep swiping through other profiles.
Users can exchange messages, reactions, and gif’s which disappear after 24 hours. Users also have the ability to like a message sent from another user. Sending a reaction to one of your matches is a new feature on snapchat. Reactions look like a bigger emoji that moves and takes up most of the screen. The reactions include sending a shooting heart, a constant laughing face, clapping hands, a jumping cocktail drink, and an eye roll. (They do add new reactions randomly).
What is included in the personal profile?
The first thing that appears on one’s personal profile is your photo. It also gives an option to swipe through the other photos posted on the account.
Underneath the photo, it shows the user’s name and age. Depending on the user’s privacy preferences, it may also show one’s gender, interests, photos from Instagram, education and job details, a chosen anthem from Spotify, and one’s distance from your location.
What are the privacy options?
Although Tinder is connected to Facebook, Tinder does not have authorization to post anything to one’s Facebook page.
The information entered to sign up for Tinder can be hidden from other users. This includes e-mail address, home address, phone number, and birthday.
When managing privacy options, users can opt to upgrade to Tinder Plus in order to hide their age and location to others.
How long has it been around and how popular is it?
Tinder was launched in 2012 by developer Sean Rad, Jonathan Badeen Justin Mateen, Joe Munoz, Whitney Wolfe and Chris Gylczynski. The app has been growing in numbers ever since. “Research shows there are 50 million active users who check their Tinder accounts up to 11 times per day (Claire, 2017).”
What are the risks for use?
Cyberbully potential:
Other Tinder users can send threatening/cruel messages or offensive pictures
Fake accounts and impersonation.
Users can become desperate for likes and matches, potentially affecting self-perception and self-esteem.
Making poor decisions:
There is a temptation to participate in casual hookups that can potentially lead to a unsafe sex and victimization.
Since location plays a huge role in this app, it is easy for online predators to target Tinder users.
What are the protection features?
If a user is sending inappropriate messages or images, there is an option to un-match with them and this disallows them to contact you.
You have the option to upgrade to Tinder Plus, which allows you to hide location and age.
There is also an option to turn-off the option to show your profile on Tinder.
Thank you to CSUCI student Nicole Hunnicutt for co-authoring this article. One thing no parent wants to think about is how predators use social media to target victims for sex trafficking. Most of us think this is the kind of thing that only happens to vulnerable youth in poor countries. Unfortunately, children and teens are victimized in most American towns with families in every income level. All it takes is a cunning predator and a kid with a screen. To take safety measures today to Get(your)KidsInternetSafe, check out this article on how sex traffickers use social media to recruit victims.
I’m the mom psychologist who will help you GetKidsInternetSafe.
Claire, M. (2017, February 21). Tinder: The Online Dating App Everyone’s Talking About. Retrieved March 02, 2017, from http://www.marieclaire.co.uk/life/sex-and-relationships/tinder-the-online-dating-app-that-everyone-s-talking-about-112522
