Mediafamily.org cites video games for violence, sex A chainsaw-wielding killer and blood-splattered shooting rampages are featured in some of the 10 video games that a media watchdog group says should be avoided by kids and teens. The group urged parents to take a stronger role in safeguarding their children from games that glamorize sex and violence, showing graphic scenes of sex and violence. Advocates said they wanted to make parents and kids aware of some of the games they should avoid on store shelves this holiday season. All of the games were M-rated, intended for those aged 17 and over. The group's list of "games to avoid" is on its Web site, http://www.mediafamily.org.

Violent Games UK to join EU campaign against violent video games An EU official was recently quoted as saying "We are not calling for censorship, but the sale of cigarettes and alcohol is prohibited to minor why not violent games."

Court rules video games do not encourage violence  A court has overturned a law banning violent video games, saying that there is little evidence they encourage violent behavior in children.  In June this year the Louisiana State Legislature passed a law that restricted the sale of video games, which included violence to the over 18s only. However, the law was immediately challenged in the courts and on December 2, 2006 it was ruled unconstitutional by Judge James Brady.  He wrote that "the evidence that was submitted to the legislature in connection with the bill that became the statute is sparse and could hardly be called in any sense reliable." He also said that any connection between video game and real-world violence was "tenuous and speculative" at best.

Violent Video Games Leave Teenagers Emotionally Aroused
Video games are big business with nearly $10 billion in sales in the United States last year. But along with growing sales come growing concerns about what effects these games may be having on the young people who play them.  A new study has found that adolescents who play violent video games may exhibit lingering effects on brain function, including increased activity in the region of the brain that governs emotional arousal and decreased activity in the brain's executive function, which is associated with control, focus and concentration. The findings were presented today at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA)

Medics 'under-report child abuse' report Many doctors are fearful of reporting suspected abuse. Many doctors and nurses who see a child they suspect has been physically abused do not report it to the appropriate authorities, a survey has indicated.

Tackling the threat of child abuse online

Peter Robbins is the Chief executive, of the Internet Watch Foundation, a UK watchdog set up to combat potentially illegal content online, involving a partnership between the government, police and the internet service provider industry that was needed to tackle the distribution of child abuse images online.
http://www.iwf.org.uk/