Mom vs. The Computer

What do parents think?

• 62% of parents of gamers say video games have no effect on their child one way or the other
• 80% of parents say they place time limits on video game playing
• 94% of the time parents (with kids under 18 who also own a game console and/or computer used to play games) are present at the time games are purchased or rented
• 66% of parents or guardians of children 17 years old or younger play games, compared with 47% of adults who are not parents who play games
• Just 31% of parents of teens say they play video games with their child at least some of the time, however, and younger parents are more likely than older parents to do so. Four out of 10 parents under age 40 (40%) play games with their children, compared with 25% of older parents. Parents of younger teens (12 to 14 years old) are also more likely to play video games with their children than parents of older teens (15 to 17 years old), 34% versus 27%
• 90% of parents say they always or sometimes know what games their children play; 72% say they always or sometimes check the ratings before their children are allowed to play a game; 46% of parents say they always or sometimes stop their kids from playing a game; 31% of parents say they always or sometimes play games with their children

Resources

• Teens, Video Games and Civics report by the The Pew Internet & American Life Project
• Adults and Video Games report by the The Pew Internet & American Life Project
• The Entertainment Software Association's 2008 Sales, Demographic and Usage Data: Essential Facts about the Computer and Video Game Industry [PDF]