It's been a while since we've had a good video game controversy, and it seems that NBC New York fluff reporter Andrew Siff has had to make a big stretch to find a way to frighten his viewers into watching his story about the dangers of video games. After the tragic rape of a Michigan girl by a man she met while playing the online game Runescape, Siff and the NBC New York newsteam took it upon themselves to warn their viewers (Who live hundreds of miles away) that "Predators Approach Kids Through Video Games"! All of your fear-mongering favorites are included in the article, including the constant implication that only small children play video games, along with failed attempts to sound insightful about gaming culture (Did you know that gamers like to go on something called a "Quest"). Then there's the insightful observation that "parents and computer software designers have found that anyone can lie and pretend to be a kid in [Runescape]", and of course there are quotes from industry experts recommending the obvious like "families [should] get parental control software".
My favorite part of the article is use of the term "law-abiding gamers" to describe the small percentage of people who play online games who aren't cyber-rapists.
You can see the full text on the newsteam's website.
