Sunday, November 29, 2009

article 1

I found two articles which cover the area i am interested in:
1.Can A Video Game Lead To Murder?-http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/06/17/60minutes/main702599.shtml
2.Girls 'becoming Facebook addicts'-http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/education/8362568.stm

The dangers of video games and social networkingThe pure bliss of being able to disappear for a few hours into a fantasy world! A world where you can change your circumstances, the people you meet, the way you act and even the way you look in a matter of seconds. you dont have to worry about the tribulations of real life and can do anything you want to do. seems perfect doesnt it? however with games such as second life, world of warcraft, grand theft auto(GTA) and many more the stark reality is the marvels of the online world can be quite horrific.
Take GTA for example, its a game based on a hero who is a violent criminal. Who wanders through a virtual city, cruising through the streets, down alleyways in stolen cars using prostitutes, selling and buying drugs and killing innocent bystanders just to get rewards. how can a game like this have a positive effect on its players? surely after months of playing this sort of game non stop it will effect how we act in real life. this is evident in the case of 18 year old Devin Moore, who after months of playing GTA day and night, shot and killed 3 police officers before stealing a police car. Prosecutors are trying to prove this crime would never have taken place if Moore had not been playing the video game.
Addiction is also a serious problem with video games and social networking. People are becoming increasingly addicted to social networking sites such as second life, bebo and facebook. often spending up to 40 hours a week on such sites. these sites are not only dangerous due to risk of addiction but also because of internet predators. How long should internet users spend roaming these sites? is it just once or twice a week, 2-3 hours a day or do they just completely neglect their actual life and continue surfing? these sites give people a chance to creat their own worlds and improve it to their own liking. It is a chance to live a rich and rewarding life, is this the new american dream?

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