Keeping Kids Safe from the Negative Effects of Electronic Media

Most parents would never think about leaving their kids alone with someone who might harm them, but many have no problem leaving them alone with a television. While the electronic media can be a great tool for entertainment and education, there is also a downside—particularly when it comes to the potential negative effects it can have on children when exposed to excessive violence. And children are seeing plenty of it. Dr. John Caputo, a professor who teaches Media Literacy at Gonzaga University, says that by the age of 16 the average child has witnessed 16-thousand murders on television alone. How does this affect society? That’s been debated for years, but Caputo is convinced the pervasiveness of violence in media is having a detrimental effect and cites plenty of research to back it up. He says that more than two thousand studies over the past 40 years have indicated the harmful effects in film, television, music content, and video and computer games.

A summary of the conclusions is that excessive viewers of media violence have:

-increased aggressiveness and anti-social behavior
-increased fear of becoming a victim
-increased desensitization to violence and victims of violence
-increased appetite for violence in entertainment and real life

And that’s not all. The American Academy of Pediatrics has also warned parents that children who watch a lot of television can end up doing more poorly in school, may be more likely to have attention problems, and may have problems with self-control and moral judgment.

So what can parents do to protect children from the potential harmful effects of electronic media? Begin by paying closer attention to what your kids watch, listen to, and play. The National Association of Elementary School Principals recommends that parents watch television with their children and speak up when you see something you find offensive—from the gluttony promoted by many restaurants to violence or inappropriate behavior. The NAESP also advises parents to limit time children spent in front of television and to keep televisions and computer systems out of their rooms. It’s also important that parents familiarize themselves with ratings systems and use them. Becoming more media literate can help you gain control and use the media for what you want and not the other way around. I’ve made a list to some helpful links below:

NAESP Advice for Parents
http://www.naesp.org/resources/2/Report_to_Parents/2008/rtp01-08.pdf

MPAA Ratings System for Movies
http://www.mpaa.org/FlmRat_Ratings.asp

ERSB Ratings System for Video Games
http://www.esrb.org/ratings/ratings_guide.jsp

TV Parental Guidelines
http://www.tvguidelines.org/

RIAA Parental Advisory for Music
http://www.riaa.com/parentaladvisory.php?content_selector