A group of American parents is suing several video game companies, claiming their children are being harmed by video game addiction.
As reported by Bloomberg, a mother claims her 14-year-old son played so many video games over the past nine years that it caused brain damage, seizures, and stroke. Another mother said her 9-year-old son, who has been diagnosed with multiple mental illnesses, continued to play the game at an “increasingly uncontrollable pace.”
More than a dozen of the lawsuits, which include Microsoft, Nintendo of America, Epic Games, Roblox and Sony Interactive Entertainment, are scheduled to be heard on May 30 in Salt Lake City, Utah.
A key part of the case is research showing that Internet gaming disorder, the medical term for video game addiction, has measurable effects on the brain similar to other addictions. However, the filing suggests that psychiatric problems such as ADHD can also be caused by gaming. This is a controversial issue, with research finding that the correlation is likely in the opposite direction. That is, a person with ADHD is more likely to develop Internet Gaming Disorder, and Internet Gaming Disorder does not cause her ADHD. The debate over the addictive nature of games continues and is hotly debated.
What are video game companies saying?
Microsoft, Nintendo, Sony, and Epic are members of the Entertainment Software Association and have released the following statement: “We prioritize creating a positive experience for our entire player community and provide easy-to-use tools for players, parents, and caregivers to manage different aspects of gameplay.” Claims to the contrary are unfounded and ignore the reality that billions of people of all ages and backgrounds around the world play video games in a healthy and balanced manner. . ”
The gaming companies hope to defend this claim based on the First Amendment. Microsoft and Roblox argued that calling their games “overly attractive” contradicts the fact that game content, like other content, is protected as free speech.
The companies, which used defense attorneys to seek the dismissal of separate lawsuits filed against them in Arkansas, argue that the lawsuit misses the point. According to Microsoft and Roblox, these include “suing video libraries for distributing allegedly 'addictive' movies, and recording studios for providing forums and equipment to create 'too catchy' music.” “We are presenting the digital equivalent of suing someone.”
If these lawsuits prove to have any merit, they could spell trouble for the gaming industry, which has already had a difficult year plagued by layoffs and closures.
Featured image credit: Generated by Ideogram
