This bit was followed immediately by a large "donate now" button, and an offer of "free" summer tips for media management that would come with your donation. A few things here: Number one, right at the top, is the claim that violent video games have been proven to make kids more aggressive. If you'll look at my earlier post here, you'll see that every result possible has come out of tests on kids' aggression with violent video games. There is absolutely no conclusion, so you can't claim anything.
Second, the claim that a donation to Common Sense Media could completely stop kids from buying violent video games, ever. Zero. Not even a flea market or an independent gaming store would ever sell an M-rated game to a minor, ever. Parental involvement couldn't possibly be the solution, but more money for Common Sense Media is. Also, I'm sure that adult gamers have had enough trouble buying games for themselves with Wal-Mart and Best Buy turning into complete Nazis over the age limit. Even when the buyer is old enough, just having a kid standing next to him can prevent the employee from selling the game.
Third, the awful fear-mongering the email uses for donations. Your children will be psychologically screwed up for life if you don't give us $25-$1000 today. That's the message coming across. Give us money or else kids can play Grand Theft Auto and they'll spend their entire lives having sex with prostitutes and then killing them afterwards. The email claims that "Grand Theft Auto promote[s] murder, sexual exploitation, and violence towards women." Anyone who has actually played the game will know that's not true. You don't "score points" for offing grandma and people of both genders in the game are equally repulsive, bad, and flawed people. The older generation is never going to understand video games if this crap is allowed to go on, so go ahead and take a little time to talk to Common Sense Media about this.
Because communication is the solution.
