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Violent video games don’t lead to violence, Virginia Tech researchers say

Posted at 10:12 PM, Feb 23, 2018
and last updated 2018-02-23 23:22:25-05

BLACKSBURG, Va. - Following the mass shooting at a Florida high school that left 17 dead, the old debate is back: Do violent video games play a role in real-world violence?

President Donald Trump is among those who floated the idea around in the week following the shooting, but Virginia Tech researchers say that's not the case.

"While politicians have made bold claims about effects of video games on violent crime, including the most tragic mass shooting events, research has provided very little evidence that use of video games or other media is a useful predictor of any sort of violent crime," said James Ivory, an associate professor in the Department of Communication at Virginia Tech.

A new study co-authored by Virginia Tech professor Jim Hawdon not only suggests those who play video games are less likely to create hate material online, but also that violent video games may be a way for gamers to release aggression.

Ivory tells News 3 that issues more likely to cause violence are poverty, child abuse and drug abuse.