Daily Telegraph runs 'Video Games Sending Kids Crazy' Headline

Earnest and reputable mainstream newspaper The Daily Telegraph has today run a headline warning parents about the dangers of videogames.

The print edition ran the headline 'Video Games Sending Kids Crazy', while online the tag was 'Games Wage War on Young Minds.' Meanwhile, the full article carried the significantly more descriptive headline 'Distressed families flood psychiatrists over children dangerously addicted to computer games and the internet.'

The 'flooding' in question comes from the news that videogame addiction and internet addiction are currently candidates for inclusion in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, although no numbers are given to support the growth of the condition.

In response, Ron Curry, CEO of the Interactive Games and Entertainment Association (iGEA) has sent a letter to the editor of the Daily Telegraph.

The full letter is yet to receive publication by the Telegraph, however Curry concludes the letter by saying: "Our only regret with your article was the highly emotive/inflammatory headline, 'Video Game Kids Going Crazy'."  

"Not only does this sell short the overwhelming majority of kids who enjoy video gaming as part of a healthy media diet, it shows little respect for those actually struggling with the effects of video game and internet addiction."

Indeed, the listing of new forms of media as carrying the potential for addiction is a worthwhile piece of editorial, however the headline conjuring up images of either an insidious plague (print version) or nefarious master plan (online version) do not lend appropriate weight to the widespread adoption of the passtime versus the scope of any problems concerned with it.

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3 comments

Reputable? More like infamous. Mainstream? Definately. Earnest? I think they're running their own definition on that one...
The Daily Telegraph (and News Limited in general) is capitalism immitating journalism. Incapable of sticking to even the first ethic of journalism, to provide factual, unbiased stories, instead they seem to continually resort to shock-jocking headlines such as "Video Games Sending Kids Crazy". Don't feed the trolls, guys...

Mac Braddy ELITE GAMER
Nov 28th 2011 at 7:20AM

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The print edition ran the headline 'Video Games Sending Kids Crazy', while online the tag was 'Games Wage War on Young Minds.' This is really very true because now a days video game become a enemy of the children because many children are suffering with the serious mental health issues. This is better to avoid video game.
http://www.controllingaddiction.net/articles/video-games-addiction

ved joshi INDUSTRY
Apr 10th 2012 at 9:19AM

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Before it will take the life of your child it is better to do the best Video Game Addiction Treatment as soon as possible.

ved joshi INDUSTRY
Apr 10th 2012 at 9:21AM

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