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Donald Trump Wants A Crackdown On Violent Video Games Following Mass Shootings

Donald Trump Wants A Crackdown On Violent Video Games Following Mass Shootings

"We must stop the glorification of violence in our society."

Claire Reid

Claire Reid

US President Donald Trump has said he wants to crackdown on violent video games in the wake of two separate mass-shootings which left 29 people dead.

Speaking during a press conference, Trump said: "We must stop the glorification of violence in our society. This includes the gruesome and grisly video games that are now commonplace.

"It is too easy today for troubled youth to surround themselves with a culture that celebrates violence. We must stop or substantially reduce this, and it has to begin immediately."

As yet, he hasn't mentioned how he proposes to introduce any sort of reduction in the sale of violent games.

Trump spoke out following two mass-shootings in the US over the weekend. In a Walmart in El Paso, Texas, a gunman opened fire killing 20 people and injuring more than a dozen others.

In Daytona, Ohio, another incident left nine dead.

Following the shocking attacks, Trump took to Twitter to praise police officers, writing: "The FBI, local and state law enforcement are working together in El Paso and in Dayton, Ohio. Information is rapidly being accumulated in Dayton.

Police in Ohio following a mass-shooting which left nine dead.
PA

"Much has already been learned in El Paso. Law enforcement was very rapid in both instances. Updates will be given throughout the day!"

This isn't the first time Trump has claimed violent video games and mass-shootings are linked.

Last year, after the Parkland shooting in which 17 people died, he told Florida's attorney general: "I'm hearing more and more people say the level of violence on video games is really shaping young people's thoughts."

Despite Trump's comments, no meaningful connection between playing violent video games and carrying out violent acts in real life has ever been established.

A study released in February found no evidence that playing violent video games increased aggression amongst teens who played them.

Lead researcher Professor Andrew Przybylski, director of research at the Oxford Internet Institute, told Sky News: "What we found was that there are a lot of things that feed into aggression.

"There are some effects of gender and some people who are from different life backgrounds have higher or lower ratings, but video game play didn't really seem to matter here.

"Violent games don't seem to drive aggressive behaviour in young people. But really we should be looking at other things - maybe it is frustrations, maybe it is family or life circumstance - that we should be spending more time on."

The study looked at 1,000 14 and 15-year-olds, who played games such as Grand Theft Auto and Call of Duty.

"The idea that violent video games drive real-world aggression is a popular one, but it hasn't tested very well over time," added Przybylski.

"Despite interest in the topic by parents and policy-makers, the research has not demonstrated that there is cause for concern."

Featured Image Credit: PA

Topics: News, US News, Donald Trump