President Donald Trump met some game makers, and some who are opposed to video games, to talk about violence in our beloved games, and how they could be corrupting the youngsters. Trump had assured that the discussion is just an open forum where both sides would be heard, and Rolling Stone has been able to post various notes related to the happenings.
The meeting started with a compilation of various violent video game clips, which shocked some of the people present silent due to the shock. After the clip was played, Trump sought comments from those present and told them how brutal the scenes were. Melissa Henson, the representative of the Parents Television Council, observed.
“Those from the video game industry were quick to defend (the video games) saying they were meant for a mature audience and that they weren’t intended for kids to see.”
You can check the video above to find out what was displayed during the meeting, and as can be seen, there was a good bit of mature-rated gaming, and not the kind of games sold in the market.
Although the meeting didn’t result in any steps being taken, there might be future meetings to delve deeper into the matter. “The tone of the meeting was that it was for information gathering, fact-finding,” Henson stated explained during a press call following the meeting. “I don’t believe anyone came in there with a policy outcome in mind. The President was not walking in there with his mind already made up. I am under the impression there will be future conversations, though no next steps were discussed.”
ESA didn’t elaborate on its position on the meeting, but, released a statement later, observing, “We discussed the numerous scientific studies establishing that there is no connection between video games and violence, First Amendment protection of video games, and how our industry’s rating system effectively helps parents make informed entertainment choices,” as per the statement. “We appreciate the President’s receptive and comprehensive approach to this discussion.”
Vicky Hartzler, a Congresswoman, who has been against video games for quite a while, stated. “Today’s meeting was an opportunity to learn and hear from different sides about concerns and possible solutions to violence in schools. I believe significant progress was made today, and my hope is that we can build on this progress in the future.”
An interesting point that was observed in the meeting is that although the ESA claimed that there wasn’t any link between the actual world and video game violence, the Parents Television Council was of the contrasting opinion, but, they didn’t have any proof to back their claim. They claimed that the ESA’s remark was “flatly untrue” and stated that real issues being the access to arms, as well as mental health alongwith “a violent media culture that leads to aggressive behavior.”
There was also an official White House statement regarding the meeting. “Today, President Trump and senior members of the Administration met with leaders in the video game industry and experts on violence to discuss violent video game exposure and its impact on our children. To date, the Administration has led many discussions about how to prevent violent behavior in our schools, with a focus on stopping those intent on committing mass murder. During today’s meeting, the group spoke with the President about the effect that violent video games have on our youth, especially young males. The President acknowledged some studies have indicated there is a correlation between video game violence and real violence. The conversation centered on whether violent video games, including games that graphically simulate killing, desensitize our community to violence. This meeting is part of ongoing discussions with local leaders and Congress on issues concerning school and public safety and protecting America’s youth.”
For now, it has not been decided as to what the next step will be, but, this seems to be only a start, at least, as per Henson and company.
The game makers who attended the meeting are yet to respond, but, we hope they do get a good opportunity to be heard, rather than just being ignored due to the opposing views.