Presented by Rayyan Anwer, MD FAAP

We know that media addiction severely impacts childhood development, resulting in scholastic and behavioral challenges. As parents and caregivers, managing media exposure in our children is a constant balancing act. Below is a great article on how to navigate an important aspect of media exposure, which is violence in media. The article is titled:

Virtual Violence:
How Does it Affect Children?
By: David L. Hill, MD, FAAP

Since the earliest motion pictures, adults have worried about how children would respond to violent imagery. Now that mobile screens offer kids unlimited access to violent images and videos, we have even more to worry about.

As a parent or caregiver, you may feel overwhelmed by the thought of how virtual violence can affect your child. But there are practical steps you can take to protect kids of all ages, helping them place what they see and hear in a healthier context.

Understanding what virtual violence means in your child’s world Virtual violence is any act of aggression your child might absorb through TV, movies, video games, social media and other digital channels. It includes the simulated violence in blockbuster films and amateur videos and the animated violence embedded in cartoons and interactive games. News reports of real-life tragedies also deliver an endless loop of virtual violence that young people see and hear 24/7.

Keep in mind that virtual violence isn’t limited to instances of physical harm. Aggressive, threatening, racist or hateful statements can be just as damaging to children who witness them.

What children see (or play) influences how they behave Decades of research link virtual violence to aggressive thoughts, feelings and actions in children. And even though we’re still learning about the effects of violent content video games and social media, experts agree that kids are deeply influenced by brutality wherever they experience it.

Witnessing violent acts – whether real or simulated – may give kids the sense that aggression is normal and acceptable. This may lead them to act out what they see and hear, especially if they witness violence at home or in their communities. Newer studies show that exposure to virtual violence can trigger mental health struggles, including depression and anxiety.

It’s worrisome enough to think of the short-term effects on our children. But long-term studies also show that exposure to virtual violence in childhood leads to aggressive behavior in adulthood, even when people stop consuming violent media in later years.

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