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Video games have been available to consumers for the last 30 years. They are a unique form of entertainment, because they encourage players to become a part of the game's script. Today's sophisticated online games require players to pay constant attention to the game, rather than passively watching a movie. This has both positive and negative impacts on players. Several studies have been published that explore these impacts on today’s children. The most widely used "positive" impact online games are said to have on children is that they may improve a player's manual exterity and computer literacy. Ever-improving technology also provides players with better graphics that give a more "realistic" virtual playing experience. This quality makes the online game industry a powerful force in many adolescent lives. However, numerous studies show that online games, especially ones with violent content, make teens more aggressive. Part of the increase in aggressive behavior is linked to the amount of time children are allowed to play online games. In the study by Walsh (2000), a majority of teens admitted that their parents do not impose a time limit on the number of hours they are allowed to play online games. The study showed that most parents are unaware of the content or the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) rating of the games their children play.16

In a study conducted by Gentile, Lynch, Linder & Walsh (2004, p.6)"adolescent girls played video games for an average of 5 hours a week, whereas boy saver aged 13 hours a week". The authors also stated that teens who play violent games for extended periods of time tend to be more aggressive, are more prone to confrontation with their teachers, may engage in fights with their peers and see a decline in school achievements. (Gentile et al, 2004).Five decades of research into the effects of exposure to violent television and movies have produced a thoroughly documented and highly sophisticated set of...