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Mothers Against Videogame Addiction and Violence
Is your child receiving poor grades in school in every subject except Computer Education? Is your child spending a lot of time in their bedroom and at home? Then he or she may be suffering from videogame addiction. Mothers Against Videogame Addiction and Violence (MAVAV) is a group that's trying to educate parents about this growing threat. Check out some of the articles on their site, such as "E3: The Evil Entertainment Expo" or "EverQuest: A Threat to Society?" I could imagine a group like this being real, but it's just a hoax created by David Yoo way back in 2002. On this page Yoo describes why he created it and notes that even after it had been exposed as a hoax on Slashdot, he still continued to receive letters from people who thought it was real.
Categories: Technology, Websites
Posted by Alex on Sun Nov 28, 2004
Comments (55)
More from the Hoax Museum Archives:
EverQuest II must be stopped. I cannot quit playing.... Save me!!! Please!!!
Posted by Loxx  on  Mon Nov 29, 2004  at  11:40 AM
In high school, anyone who spends too much of their time playing video games is a loser. It is popular to spend very little time playing them, because this shows that one has a social life outside of video games.
Posted by John  on  Mon Nov 29, 2004  at  03:46 PM
So Paul, you're FOR censorship? You're advocating preventing someone from doing something they like to do that has never been shown to have an adverse affect on a normally adjusted person? Are you for banning violent movies? How about violent news?
The world is a violent place. It may not be right but it's true. Hiding the violence and pretending it doesn't exist isn't the answer. Educating children about the reality of violence and the negative affects it has are necessary. If you ban it outright it only makes it that much more desirable.
Just because some people (and I'm not necessarily including you here) can't be bothered to be parents to their children doesn't mean everyone else who acts responsibly should suffer.

I do feel that addiction can be a bad thing, but if an otherwise responsible adult wants to indulge in violent games, pornography, alcohol, or any other vice without hurting others than I think that they should be allowed to do so. If it becomes obsessive than it's the responsibility of that person's family/friends to help them. Not make everyone suffer for a few (sometimes extremely few) people's mistakes.
Banning violence won't make unstable people any more sane.

Sorry for the mini-rant.
Posted by Charybdis  on  Mon Nov 29, 2004  at  05:28 PM
Save our children vs. Anti-censorship. I have a 9 (almost 10) year old son. I know that about a year ago, we were looking at games in Blockbuster for rental. He wanted to rent "Grand Theft Auto: Vice City," which he'd played at a friend's house (without my knowledge). If you aren't familiar with the game, you play the role of a convict just released from prison. You return to your former behavior and try to build a criminal enterprise. On the way, you have to steal cars, beat down your stable of prostitutes, kill people who get in your way, bribe dirty politicians and cops, etc. Rockstar games, the creator, says: "Grand Theft Auto: Vice City is the most diverse and ambitious piece of interactive entertainment yet created." In the sequel, just released, players rack up points by gunning down police, committing carjackings, burglarizing homes, etc.

It's a sad day when diverse and ambitious entertainment is about having sex with and killing a prostitute. I'm all about civil liberties. However, there's some games that probably deserve to be banned.

Despite the group being a hoax, the news stories quoted on the site are real.
Posted by Bill B.  on  Mon Nov 29, 2004  at  05:58 PM
Bill: No offense, but you could've checked with your kid or his friend's dad to see what game they rented..watch the south park movie, Paul.. you might learn something
Posted by Jenny  on  Tue Nov 30, 2004  at  05:14 PM
Hey, my brother lives vicariously through Everquest. He and his roomates rotate throughout the day. And while one plays, the others watch! I don't go over there anymore becasue they all use their Everquest lingo and jargon of which I don't, or care to, understand. Video games can be very addicting. This is no exaggeration. The life they live is through late-night raids and conversations with other players. Quite sad.
Posted by Tom  on  Thu Dec 02, 2004  at  02:17 PM
Jenny, no I couldn't. I don't know them. They are friends of my former wife.

There are media works which are not protected speech and there are federal laws to prosecute such things. Check out Title 18, United States Code, Chapter 71, Section 1460 et. seq. Those sections are still used today and the Supreme Court has repeatedly held them constitutional. See also http://www.usdoj.gov/criminal/ceos/obscenity.html and then read the press releases.

Protected speech is well and good, but not all speech is protected. Now, maybe in credit, I can only come up with one game so bad that I think it deserves censorship.
Posted by Bill B.  on  Mon Dec 06, 2004  at  11:49 AM
The main problem with your arguement is your assumption that all video games are made for children. I've been a gamer since I was a child, when I recieved my first NES. At that time, games were designed for kids, as the premise was still new and toy-like. However, as the Nintendo generation grew up, they yearned for games that better suited their interests and maturity, and games were created to fill this want. You cited Grand Theft Auto:Vice City earlier, a game that has a rating of MA(Mature). How is this game different from the film it attempts to emulate, Scarface? Would you like to ban Scarface, as it is a very violent, vulgar movie? I doubt most people would suggest such, as Scarface is viewed as adult entertainment and a critically acclaimed one at that. On the same note, I doubt you'd allow your child to watch such a movie and that same discretion should be used with a game. The problem isn't in the games, it's the lack of proper research and discretion on the part of merchants and parents. I work in retail and have many times talked my way out of a sale, as I feel it's my responsibity to inform the countless number of extremely ignorant parents that Grand Theft Auto isn't a game they want to purchase for their 6 year old child, regardless of how much they want it or how many of their friend's ignorant parents bought it for them. Honestly people, it's not that much work to look into the games your children play or want, the internet is an invaluble tool, as is simply looking at the rating on the front cover of the game. Don't bother making excuses about how you can't monitor every game your kids play, while at your house or a friends. My parents did, and this was way before the implentation of the ratings system. GTA wasn't around back then, but Mortal Kombat and it's vulgar display of blood and gore was. I wasn't allowed to play it at home, and I didn't play it anywhere else, out of fear of losing all gaming privelages, as my parents had threatened. So basicly what this rant is getting at is this, Pay attention to what your kids play, make it clear on what is acceptable for them to play, and please exert some effort and discretion instead of blaming the makers of these games for your lack of parenting. Those of us who are adult gamers enjoy our games and don't want to be deprived of our entertainment because parents don't keep track of their kids.
Thanks for listening,
Hatchett

p.s. Please excuse any grammar and/or spelling errors, I've been sick and am very tired, lol..
Posted by Hatchett  on  Mon Dec 20, 2004  at  06:35 PM
Well said, Hatchett. Well said.
Posted by Jamie  on  Tue Dec 21, 2004  at  03:56 PM
Zing!

By the way...

"Freedom of speech is allowing your enemies to speak their minds as well".

How could you be all for 'it' if you want it banned? Honestly, just do not buy it for your 10 year old child. If your child is closer to 16-17, then he is well old enough to understand that virtual violence != real violence. Besides which, the world is incredibly violent. Videogames could never match the level of violence in the real world. Sheltering your child is one thing; Beating around the bush about if it exists is another.
Posted by Steve  on  Fri Jan 07, 2005  at  10:16 PM
A lot of people say videogames are bad and evil. They're too violent, and obscene, so many people keep saying. Wake up everybody, and welcome to earth. This world is a violent and obscene place. It's all around us. Shielding your children from violent movies and videogames is like pulling a sheet over your childs eyes. They'll never see the real world. Yes, in the real world people's cars do get stolen, people do get murdered, people have sex, people curse, people beat up each other, and there is racism and sexism. Get used to it.
Posted by Darkness13  on  Sat Jan 15, 2005  at  11:49 PM
First up, im well aware that this is/was a gag website. This is for all of you anti-gaming wankers out there.

Fact: Hardcore gaming not only leads to video game addiction and abrupt lifestyle changes, but to crime and felony as well. Hardcore gamers never buy computer video games...... You may not be buying your child videogames, but they can illegally obtain them off the internet.

-You aren't a hard-core gamer until you've downloaded a game IMO.

Symptom: Child spending numerous amount of time in their bedroom and at home.
"Gee, my 12-16 year old is spending way to much time alone in his room with his computer. He must be a depressed social outcast because of gaming. I mean... what other possible reason would he be in there?"

Symptom: Poor school grades
A typical report card by a troubled video game player:
Computer Education - Excellent
English - Poor
Mathemathics - Poor
Science - Poor
Social Studies - Poor
Physical Education - Poor

-This actually made me laugh. I want to see a 'typical gamers' poll.

Danger: Do video games make people violent?
No. People are inherently evil. Our most natural instincts are perceived as socially 'wrong'. Video Games may enhance violent tendancies(throwing controllers, yelling, etc.), but they are not the cause. Anyone who goes beyond yelling or throwing a controller is a fucking whack-job and should be treated as such.

Danger: Do video games teach people how to kill?
Of course they do, I mean c'mon, I never knew how to shoot or reload a gun before I played a video game... and I never even thought of beating someone senseless and doing my finishing move on them before...

I don't think I've mentioned it before, but if I have, it hasn't been enough...
I hate people. I am disgusted at how politicians continue to try to ban or control video games and spread propaganda about them and gamers.
Attention US and Canadian politicians. You are fear-mongering crack-pots. Get off my continent!

My rant for the day.
Posted by Balls  on  Fri Jan 28, 2005  at  12:33 PM
Look...Parents, if you don't want your kids playing games you don't think are suitable for them, make sure you:

1.) Know what kind of people your child's friend's parents are, whether they're the kind of people that would be leniant about it.

2.) Be reasonable. Know your kids. It's all a matter of maturity at younger (pre-teen and teenage years) ages. Usually around the age of 12-14, they start becoming more mature about things, and realize that taking Daddy's gun to school to knock off some annoying kid won't solve anything.

As far as violent games go, just check out what your kids are doing every once in a while...monitor behavior, watch the screen for a minute. See something that you don't like, voice your opinion, maybe suggest they do something else for a while. Again, depends on age and maturity.

Here's your one and only warning from me: Grand Theft Auto games are NOT for kids.

Consider this: I turn 16 at the end of March. Us "young 'uns" that consider ourselves hardcore gamers aren't usually so stupid that we LIVE and BREATHE games 24/7...believe it or not, you can be a hardcore gamer and have a life. My grades are decent (though I'm not satified with them). I have a plenty of friends, even a girlfriend.

It's not as horrible as you think, parents. I understand why you worry so much, since you see us playing mindless games for hours on end, seemingly without any sense of time or direction. This is the media's portreyal of video games, and the result of ignorance by not only the media, but by parents.

Regards,
Ian
Posted by Ian  on  Tue Feb 01, 2005  at  10:35 PM
It's always easier to blame someone else isn't it.
Posted by Kilo  on  Mon Apr 04, 2005  at  05:55 PM
"People are inherently evil." - Balls (no, I'm not just calling them that, that's the name they used)

Say what?

No way. People are inherently SELFISH, not evil. If you choose to see people acting selfishly and put the label "evil" on it, then that's your bias, not fact.
Posted by Rod  on  Mon Apr 04, 2005  at  08:25 PM
ok so wat if we wana play a vidio game with violence would u rather have me go at it with a kid and start fights or would u like me 2 take out my anger on a vidio game and the people in the vidio game. if u dont like it call and leav a mesdge at 650 --- 1277

love
phuck u all
Posted by phuck u all  on  Sat Apr 09, 2005  at  08:27 PM
Boy,

Aren't you a clever one... odd how you can so cleverly mis-spell what's obviously one of your favorite words (phuck) but for some damn reason you can spell the simple ones worth a shit!
Posted by Mark-N-Isa  on  Sat Apr 09, 2005  at  10:07 PM
I am 10 And smart baby!!

I go on forums lots of times and type using capitals and stuff not "r u " and other slang the only slang I use is "lol"

I have a college reading leavel,am a 5th grade kid doing 6th grade math. I love the redwall books, love reading more then video games. A new stufy by ESA shows gamers spend 3 times more time on sports and social activities then video games. People also say video games make people fat. Uhhh I thought It was school. Think of it kids get 45 minutes of recess at school altogether, kids spend 7 hours a day at school! School I think in ways make people violent.

And I am really 10( I typed this in about 2 minutes I played online It improved my typing skills)
Posted by bobby  on  Tue Apr 12, 2005  at  05:17 PM
I mean a minute sorry not 2.

Hey and whats your nam guy that said shit. so you are againest video games but you cuss at little kids like me?

tsk tsk buddy setting a bad example for us kids mister!

LOL
Posted by bobby  on  Tue Apr 12, 2005  at  05:20 PM
Parents who abuse their kids make their kids bullys. Video game only affect kids who are mentel, have been abused, and other medical things.
Posted by bobby  on  Tue Apr 12, 2005  at  05:22 PM
You are 10 and smart... but not smart enough to read a thread and understand what you're reading. I cussed, but only in response to another little punk who thinks that talking like that makes him cool. Read the post previous to mine and you'll see what all the cussing was about... or just go back to http://www.nickjr.com which would be much more appropriate for you anyway. If the word shit is such a bad example, then what would you call those games you're so fond of where you can decapitate people, steal cars, pick up hookers and park in the dark to watch your stolen car bounce around while your $$$ dwindles? Convenient how those are, in your opinion, good things because they help to improve your typing or whatever (too bad they don't help with your spelling as well) but my use of a couple of curse words (and not the worst of curse words at that) is "setting a bad example."

LOL 😊

PS - What's my nam? Do you mean Viet? Or are you so busy doing your learning from video games that you can't read my NAME which is clearly listed on every post I make? And exactly where did I say I was against video games? In any way? Also, I was cussing at your buddy "phuck u all" in case you're in capable of reading and comprehension. My cursing was done LONG before you were ever here to read it... so how exactly could that be directed at you? And the youth wonder why no one gives them any credit!

:roll:
Posted by Mark-N-Isa  on  Tue Apr 12, 2005  at  05:36 PM
Hey, out of curiouosity are you a mom? Or just a man? Mark N jen? Are you mark or jen?

You should pick up a book it is called "what video games have to teach us about learning and litercy" by james paul gee who is a college professor. And you name is not "cleary" listed it is at the bottom kinda hard to notice and Mark N jen is kinda confusing. Phuck it all is not my "buddy". And I knew you where saying "shit" at phuck it all I read it. Was I saying you cussed at me smart-ass? I said "You are settinbg a bad example to kids like me" Like me not me!

So you want to to go to a more appropiate site? Well this is not so in a appropiate. This is not the first time I have heard shit before.

So your a parent? Are you? Just curious.
Posted by bobby  on  Tue Apr 12, 2005  at  10:53 PM
This was such a nice, intelligent discussion, I knew it would get ruined eventually... Kids had to start a fight. /sigh
Posted by Hatchett  on  Tue Apr 12, 2005  at  11:31 PM
k....i think this is SO RIDDICULOUS!!!!......Any child that plays a violent video game is the PARENTS FAULT not the VIDEO GAMES!!!!!!! there is a RATING ON IT CALLED A "ESRB" WHICH SAYS IF ITS TOO MATURE FOR AN AUDIENCE OR NOT!!!!
thats why...none...and i mean absoulutly...none of the video companys are held liable for anything...its not the 1950's any more.....the world is changing and video game companys not only like making the games like this because its AWESOME BUT THERE MAKING GOOD MONEY....Money is everything these days a very low percentage of people do anything with out getting something in return which ideally would be money......People who play video games and go to school could be just like them doing drugs, watching TV..hell even going out and playing sports all the time and not worrying about anything else cause EVERYTHING IS LIKE THAT IS ADDICTIVE FOR SOMEPEOPLE!!....some people have control and know when enough is enough...if you have a cookie and it taste good, your most likely gonna have another one of them cookies..PARENTS NEED TO BE MORE WATCHFULL OF WHAT THERE KIDS BUY FOR VIDEO GAMES OR ANTHING FOR THAT MATTER INSTEAD OF BLAMEING OTHER PEOPLE,COMPANYS SO THEY CAN ACT LIKE THERE CHILD IS BEING VICTAMIZED WHEN THE PARENT SHOULD BE LOOKING OUT FOR THERE OWN CHILD!!!.....its unbeliveable and sick how parents are going out and doing this...is so sick and its just stupid lol....because they cant face what they have been doing like not watching what there kid was doing which would be inapproiate instead of dealing with that which would actually matter they go out and make dumb organizations wasteing politcions time and money as if it they werent already.....and if any young child has gone out and shot someone with a gun cause they played a video game...the parent obviously dint teach the child the differnce between fanatasy and reality....but HEY! i shouldent talk about the parent....should go sew the video game company for making a game that was for 18+ and a child which a parent was monitioring played..man..iam so dumb i...cant belive it...god...iam so ashammmed...well iam gonna go make my new copy like site of MAVAV...call it......Sew Video Game Companys As A Escape Goat....you figure out the abreivatation...might as well cause your obviously not gonna be teaching your child anything
Posted by Mad-Billy  on  Sun May 15, 2005  at  01:26 AM
Thank you. That was a very good point.

In you faces MUDDAS!! roXXor!! roXXor!! roXXor!! roXXor!! roXXor. mark and jen u suXXor!! suXXor!! hahhahahahahahahahahaahhah suXXOR!!!!!!!!!!111111111111 i just pnwed u!!!!1111111 u teh n00b!!!!!!!!!1111111 u n00b!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! hahhahahahhahahahahhaaahhahahahahahhahahahahahahahhahahahahaa

Sorry jen just couldn't resist 😛 *Whispers to everyone else* "I think jen has split 0personalites you know? Mark 'n jen lol,"

I hate being called youth I am just a kid in a overpolluted planet,"

DON'T WANT TO B A AMERICAN IDIOT!!!! ONE NATION CONTROLED BY THE MEDIA!!!!!!
Posted by Bobby  on  Sun May 15, 2005  at  02:14 PM
Too late.
Posted by Boo  on  Wed May 25, 2005  at  03:28 AM
It is just a fallacy that games make kids violent. I played M rated games since I a 10. My cousin played M rated games since he could reach the Mouse and Keyboard and hes practicly a Pacifist. I have GTA and the other violent video games and I turned out fine.
Posted by Andy  on  Wed May 25, 2005  at  10:48 AM
Too late?!

Now lookie here spanky tis never to late don't say never! And I haven't played video games in 2 months got bored. I am not a fat american. I am not a american idiot.
Posted by bobby  on  Fri May 27, 2005  at  06:10 PM
I understand that people are angry agianst game stores that will sell M rated games to kids, and that parents are concerned about their kids getting entertainment out of virtualy beating up a hooker. however ive been playing semi-violent games since I was around 8, and as far as i know im not emotionaly scarred by any of it. Parents should be able to judge wheter thier kids really are mature. If you truley belive your kid is immature enough to be traumatized or whatever, by all means pull a blanket over thier eyes and isolate them until they are 18. Though realize that people are entertained by the actual fun of the video game, people dont malicoulsy enjoy virtualy killing things! At least for me, the amount of red pixels that splater across the screen is irrelevent to the actual fun of the video game.

Ps. Mad billy you have an ok-ish point, but seriously chill out damn

PPs. Green day Leads others and follows the into ideal image painted to us by viacom. plus their music sucks.
Posted by Scott  on  Fri Jun 03, 2005  at  08:30 PM
I am mad billy right?

I don't like greenday ether.
Posted by bobby  on  Sat Jun 04, 2005  at  09:38 AM
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