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A4 U.S. NEWS
Friday 9 March 2018

Trump discusses violence with video game execs and critics

By CATHERINE LUCEY decades of research have Those attending the meet-
WASHINGTON (AP) — Presi- failed to find a link between ing from the video game
dent Donald Trump raised gun violence and graphic industry included represen-
concerns about the graph- depictions of violence in tatives of the Entertainment
ic depiction of violence in games. Meeting attendees Software Association and
video games at a White said he sought to hear from the Entertainment Software
House meeting Thursday all sides. Rating Board and two CEOs
with members of the indus- "He asked a lot of questions of video game publishers.
try and some of their most and he raised concerns The Entertainment Software
vocal critics. with the violent nature of Association released a
Searching for ways to re- these games and asked statement after the meet-
spond to last month's Flori- the question: Is this causing ing, saying they "discussed
da school shooting, Trump the kids to have (this) vio- the numerous scientific
has questioned the impact lent behavior?" said Rep. studies establishing that
of video games, although Vicky Hartzler, R-Mo. there is no connection be-
President Donald Trump speaks during a cabinet meeting at the
White House, Thursday, March 8, 2018, in Washington.
(AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
tween video games and the resources available to
violence, First Amendment them to monitor and con-
protection of video games, trol the entertainment their
and how our industry's rat- children are exposed to."
ing system effectively helps Trump has focused on
parents make informed en- video games as he seeks
tertainment choices." solutions to deal with the
Also attending were a rep- scourge of guns in the wake
resentative of the Parents of the Florida school shoot-
Television Council, a con- ing that killed 17 people.
servative watchdog group, After weeks of public de-
as well as conservative ac- liberation — including ex-
tivist Brent Bozell — a long- pressing support for some
time critic of video game gun control measures —
violence who founded the Trump has not yet outlined
council — and the author what he would like to see in
of a book linking mass kill- legislation.
ings to violent video games. Trump has invoked his son
PTC program director Melis- Barron as he speaks about
sa Henson said she sought video games. At a recent
to convey the challenges meeting on school vio-
of keeping violent games lence, he said: “The video
away from kids "even for games, the movies, the
the most diligent parent." internet stuff is so violent.
She described the meeting It’s so incredible. I see it. I
as a listening session, say- get to see things that you
ing there were no decisions wouldn’t be, you’d be
about next steps. amazed at. I have a young,
"I don't think there are easy very young son, who, I look
answers and I don't think at some of the things he’s
that we're going to be able watching, and I say, how
to figure out the solution in is that possible” During a
the course of a one-hour Cabinet meeting Thursday,
conversation," Henson said. Trump congratulated Flor-
Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., ida on school safety legis-
also attended. He noted lation approved by state
in a statement that there lawmakers, saying the state
was "no evidence" tying “passed a lot of very good
video games to the Flor- legislation last night.” This is
ida shooting, but said he not the first time Washing-
was interested "in making ton has focused on video
sure parents are aware of game violence.q