President Trump Blames Video Games for Violence, Research Says Not True

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For years, politicians have looked toward violent media to blame for the senseless shootings across the country. Whether it was Virginia Tech, or Sandy Hook, you always heard loud cries against games like Call of Duty or Grand Theft Auto. After the recent school shooting in Parkland, Florida, President Trump once again pointed the finger at violent video games, claiming that shooters use them to train and get ready for their violent crimes.

But research has shown that this is simply not true. In fact, none of the school shooters in Virginia Tech, Sandy Hook or Parkland spent much time playing any of these games. The Sandy Hook shooter spent most of his time playing Dance Revolution, which is a non-violent video game. Extensive research has been done, and it actually shows a dip in violent crimes after games like Grand Theft Auto is released. The reason is not very provocative at all: people are playing the games and are not outside getting into trouble.