A study conducted in Saudi Arabia maintains that violent video games have a negative impact on children.

As reported by leading daily newspaper Asharq Alawsat:

The study… focused on a selected group of youngsters in a juvenile detention centre… The study revealed that 90% of the juveniles were affected negatively by video games and sought to imitate these games in reality…

Society is facing a critical issue… youngsters often fail to distinguish between virtual reality and real life as soon as the youth is exposed to the on-screen violence of these games and the evil scenarios in which the player is placed in these games for long hours combating security forces, destroying state property or violating people in various ways.

The study notes that no measures are in place to block Saudi youth from accessing violent games:

Among the paradoxes that add to the suffering in our country is the illegal copying and distribution of software and the complete absence of official censorship. Today our children can buy these games for less than 6 Saudi Riyals [$1.60 US]…

Furthermore, [games] do not encourage youths to adopt strong values and noble customs and only time is wasted…

These games encourage rebellious behaviour for example by teaching the young how to evade state security forces… and how to kill, kidnap and execute violent assassinations against leaders, scientists and state officials in general. Furthermore, these games feature the destruction of state-owned property using highly explosive bombs or even destroying a whole city with a nuclear bomb.

GP: There is an interesting propaganda element running through this study. Note the almost obsessive concern about “state security forces,” “state officials” and “state property.”