Such a foul, old harridan!

Clearly MCV do not understand the meaning of the word "link" and from what I've seen in other journalistic uses, neither do a lot of people.

Just because there is a comparison and similarity between the two types of addiction, it doesn't mean there is a link between the two.

Be responsible in your reporting, please!

I use the toilet once a day for "big jobbies" and more times than I can remember for "wee-wees".Help me Tanya I feel I could have an addiction-and that neck scarfe is sooooooo last season girlfriend.

Chapter 6 of Grand Theft Childhood will explain this for her.

I am shocked that MCV haven't reviewed this book yet. It is a significant milestone for the general acceptance of gaming as just another popular media.

Unfortunately the BBC with Panorama, and ITV with the Tonight program, the viewer is in a constant battle with what is deemed to be the hard, cold truth, and what is more like inflamatory, Pulitzer searching journalism.
Its like the Daily Mail, only animated.

Byron or Vorderman? - discuss.

You can watch the programme in full on iPlayer here:

http://www.bbc.co....shtml

Jesus. "Michelle Hart is not what you'd imagine a dedicated gamer to be... She's an intelligent, 39-year old with a decent job." I wonder what ELSPA made of this programme...

*************
In one section that may make the industry particularly uncomfortable, Byron said:

“Michelle Hart is not what you would imagine as a dedicated gamer. She’s an intelligent, 39-year old woman with a decent job and no history of psychological problems.”
*************

Speaking from a personal perspective, it isn't psychologically normal for someone to spend every possible minute doing a single, non-real-world-productive activity. The woman isn't finding a cure for cancer, she's leveling-up her seventh Mage-class character and counting her pretend gold.

If someone spends every waking minute in the pub, it causes them problems - problems that are identified and treated. There's little difference and pretending there is is counter-productive and makes the industry look disingenuous at best, callous liars at worst. Taking a fingers-in-ears attitude to the issues that do impact on people is not the way forward.

I think it's easy to draw comparisons between addiction to substances and MMO gaming. If you do something at the exclusion of everything else, forgoing living a real life in the world, what the difference between being hooked up to an MMO title for 100% of your free time or being smacked up? There's a physical difference of course, but the reality is - either activity, when taken too far, costs the user his or her life, their friends and family. It happens all the time.

I'm not saying MMO gaming invented this, but there is a clear and obvious parallel between obsessive online gaming and substance abuse. Pretending there isn't in order to protect revenue and save face is a short-termist approach to something that is in its infancy right now and neeeds strong leaders to legislate against in the coming year. MMO gaming is an exploding sector. There are obvious problems with people abusing it - problems that are far from anomalous, so instead of pretending that everyone else in the world (people who's literally list loved ones to online gaming) how about trying to deal with it in a way that preserves revenue but lays a sensible foundation to help people who can't help themselves?

@9. I see where you're coming from, but I'm a 'dedicated gamer' and I take offence to that line in the show.

Of course MMO gaming can eat up too many hours to an unsociable point - just as much as drinking, gambling, 24/7 TV and much more. For this reason, I'm not arguing with gaming being featured in this show.

However, it's dangerous for Tanya Byron to be so foolhardy with that sort of generalisation (i.e. 'dedicated' gamers AREN'T intelligent? DON'T have jobs?). That's not least because the audience was not likely to be educated gamers (and I'm guessing you're a gamer) like you; they'd be parents whose view of gaming in general could be easily swayed by lazy, out of touch stereotypes of these 'childish fantasy games'.

Don't get me wrong... I'm sure those whose balance sheets depend on getting me as a consumer interested - nay 'dedicated' - to their products might just feel the same. Some would be right to do so, some, perhaps, 'disingenuous'...

But it's equally dangerous to accept that these people are all cut from the same cloth.

She's got a point, that Byron. I'm far too busy on Mario Kart to shoot up these days.

Where can I find the address of this Michelle Hart?

I want to have hawt nerd sex with here, while I raid in the outlands!!

Gamer Girls for teh WIN!!!

I have to agree with everything everyone has said except as an "addicted" gamer I can make some informed comment:

1) The most serious problem reported here is the reciulous cost $2500 spend on rehab. Does any parent pay this when they stop their kids playing sport or they're told they cant have a puppy?
2) Michelle Hart has a busy productive social life while playing the game. I would love to meet her myself.
3) When people stop playing its not the trivialized fantasy game they miss, it is the people they play with.

Let's see someone reporting how dangerous television is. I'd like to see the statistics compared before we rush off to kill a social habit instead of an antisocial one.

Voderman all day every day! Byron is a fool, saying that gamers aren't intelligent and don't have jobs. That's prejudice if I've ever heard it. She's two faced and a hypocrite.

I personaly take great offence at the attempt at discrediting people who play online games in there personal time by linking them with drug abusers, I personaly play online games an average of 10-14 hours a week, which is 2-3 hours a night.

I dont participate in crime to fund my gaming experiance's as most drug users do, I dont display the same "must have X-Addiction" or im going to crawl up on the floor shaking as a drug user would.

What this report comes down to is a basic generation of a chemical withing the body which occurs in many emotional situations. Eating chocolate and sexual intercourse relase the same chemical, does this mean that people on a chocolate free diet should stop having sexual relations?

these "theorists > byron huggers" need to realise that these sort of reports will only eventualy discredit them further than the sink-hole they are already in, and strengthen the player base of said MMORPG's.

The only way you cant hurt them is with cash!

I'm sure you could sue over this. That way it sends a warning out that you cant mess with games makers!

WE seem to seat back and take it ive said we need a VOICE and that WE need a NAME change of BBFC to BBGFC. Dont think it will make ppl stop buying names that buy game but it coulds stop ppl coming in to games...

Come on ppl show some TEETH show some GUTS!

Rant over!

If you're not happy, do as I did, make a complaint at the BBC website

http://www.bbc.co.uk/complaints/make_complaint_step1.shtml

Maybe Tanya Byron is addicted, to headlines.

Personally, I have watched the program, just now and have taken a couple of things away from it.
First, she is not speaking to the converted - but to those who hold the stereotypes, and she has succeeded in showing us a non-stereotypical gamer. I actually take more issue with the "addicted gamer" she spoke to. That to me would be a more damning indictment of games.

Secondly, she has been exploring the nature of addiction itself, and to my mind has actually turned around and showed an argument which basically said "Just because someone tells you something as fact, don't necessarily believe it....they could just want your cash"...a bit like snake oil salesmen!

I have just complained! Thanks for the link ... what a disgrace of a show!

The Games industry needs to get a grip. Fair enough its a fairly new industry but that excuse is wearing a little thin now.

Come on guys, you can surely see it can't be good for you to spend every waking minute at a console or PC. Get out and get a real life (Sims does not constitute real life by the way) and some real friends! NB Rogue Pilot from XBLive doesn't count as a real friend either.

Personally, I'd rather admit to being a druggie than a 'dedicated gamer'! I mean whats that about? dedicated to thrashing the x button and fragging (i believe thats what you wierdos call shooting pixels) people you'll never meet....ever.

It's all a bit like watching Boris Johnson running for mayor listening to u lot sometimes.... initially funny but ultimately infuriating!

i agree-what a disgrace of a show! i ThOUGHT Tanya was telling the truth when she sadi she regularly played games and knew what she was talking about...but CLEARLY she is yet another uneducated, PR seeking idiot! she should be ashamed....

oh and she couldnt present to save her life.....looked like she was reading an autocue all the way through! get her off the tele BBC!

At least the antisocial behaviour problem is solved:

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/gaming/a93939/codemasters-tackles-anti-social-behaviour.html

The BBFC do not need to change their name.
They just need to stick to Cinema.

Hey! Is it just me or has gaming finally become the new rock'n roll?Frankie says GTA! Come on kids! Impress your class mates by being the first 9 year old to steal and rape at a teenage level! We moan,we curse,but old Tanya(Chav name or what?) really is helping us all to be a Rockstar!

SELF DISAPRINNN!!!

I find it laughable that people still think that we have so much control over what we are doing as games makers that games can be made to be deliberately addictive. And that the only reason for this is so that we can fleece people for more money.

Of course it is true that many types of games are addictive, regardless of the financial model, MMOs, boxed, downloadable or otherwise, but it is just because great games are well made and fun to play and keep you coming back for more with no resistance from the computer who is always happy to be your playmate.

The more serious issue in this country is that everyday life has become so over controlled and miserable for many people (especially children) that they actually enjoy their cyber life more than reality..... three cheers for the nanny state.

MMO Gaming is a conscious act. It's a choice. People play games maybe to escape from real life, maybe just to take up time they could be equally wasting by watching television or reading a book. I don't think it can be compared to drugs because you aren't putting anything into your body to change your chemical composition. However, I believe it can be a mental or emotional addiction perhaps for people who are not exactly social in real life, or can't cope with being in a public place and making other people aware that they exist. It's most especially a place designed for introverts where they can be someone else who is not themselves. Shy people become outgoing and bossy, whereas extroverted people can be by themselves. It is what it is...something that completes a person by adding an opposite to what they are in real life.

I for one quite enjoy spending hours upon hours playing my favorite MMO. Additionally I enjoy doing so drunk and/or stoned out of my mind. Perhaps I shall try playing while smacked up or coked out! Hmm... I'm thinking I.V.

This cracks me up as a college educated professional who is also a lifelong gamer. Doing anything to the exclusion of all else is bad for a person.. no news flash here. What I would like to hear is how interactive gaming with friends is worse than sitting like a slug in front of the tv night after night like millions of people do.

Somebody really needs to buy Tanya a clue.

I didn't realize until now that the games industry had it's own Anne Coulter...another shrieking, hysterical, finger-pointing, pompous, ignorant grand-stander...

Games are execellent for my health, as I have "linked" them to an increase in my social activity and confidence, plus they provide a therapeutic past-time and affordable, accessible entertainment.

Get a grip ! that woman was not what most people would think of as a dedicated gamer. pull your heads out of your own asses for a second. The show was about addiction and as far as i can see in no way linked gaming to heroin addiction. By this sad over reaction ifear you are only confirming what most people do think about "sad' gamers.

I have taken great interest in reading all of your comments!! Why be so angry at Tanya though? I find it quite funny!
Surely she was just pointing out the fact that behaviour taken to excess is not linked to drug addiction but can be just as bad and have similar psychological commonalities!!?
If a gamer is playing 24/7 and is cutting off all social relations and cannot function properly without playing then this equates to addiction!
Those of you who were offended because you are a gamer, she wasn't refering to you personally! It can be healthy to play computer games even in excess, it depends on your current situation. If you are a parent and its effects your kids you ought to stop and think but if you have no ties then by all means go ahead, play for hours!!
It passes over to addiction when it has negative cosequences on your life!
Think about these components outlined by Brown (1993):
Salience, Euphoria, Tolerance, Withdrawal symptoms, Conflict and Relapse.......are you really addicted?