Kids Have Learned: Blame GTA Even If It's Not In The Game

from the the-press-will-eat-it-up dept

Tue, Aug 12th 2008 9:40am — Mike Masnick

We've noticed a recent trend of kids caught performing criminal acts to blame Grand Theft Auto as their inspiration, knowing full well that officials will focus on that instead of the actual crime. It's even reached the point that kids are blaming GTA for things that aren't even in the game. Witness some kids who were caught making Molotov Cocktails and firebombing cars, claiming that they learned how to make the weapons while playing GTA IV. Of course, as the article notes, the Molotov Cocktails in GTA IV come pre-assembled -- so perhaps it's not exactly to blame. Won't stop adult outrage over the game, though. And that's probably just what the kids want, as it takes some of the responsibility off of them.

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Filed Under: blame, grand theft auto

57 Comments

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PaulT (profile), 12 Aug 2008 @ 9:56am

With all these kinds of stories that are floating around, you'd have thought we were all living in some kind of pacifist utopia until videogames came along and introduced violence into the world...

Fact: current statistics show that youth violence is significantly less today that it was 30 years ago before games were invented. If violence in games = violence in real life was true, that wouldn't be the case, would it?

Kids are learning how to deflect blame for their actions, while parents have yet another excuse to ignore their poor parenting skills and blame something else. Oh well, might as well wait this out until the next scapegoat comes along...
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Mel, 12 Aug 2008 @ 10:05am

Darn kids
Darn kids have everything. I had to learn about Molotov Cocktails by watching the A-Team. That Murdock is one crazy guy!
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Anonymous Coward, 12 Aug 2008 @ 10:34am

Re:
Kids are learning how to deflect blame for their actions,

hhmm, I wonder where they are learning it from?

while parents have yet another excuse to ignore their poor parenting skills and blame something else.

never mind, I think I know...
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Anonymous Coward, 12 Aug 2008 @ 10:39am

Re: Darn kids
dangit, I only learned how to make a blowtorch out of a bicycle from MacGyver, they never had Molotovs, I feel cheated.
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Anonymous Coward, 12 Aug 2008 @ 10:43am

I learned how to cannibalize watching movies, SUE THE MOVIE INDUSTRY!

I learned how to use drugs listening to music, SUE THE RIAA!

What a pathetic world we live in!
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sam, 12 Aug 2008 @ 10:47am

PaulT,

statistics lie and you are an idiot and I am going to kill you
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Anonymous Coward, 12 Aug 2008 @ 10:50am

I learned to blame Mike Masnick for his poor postings from GTA :-P
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Anonymous Coward, 12 Aug 2008 @ 10:55am

Re: Darn kids
I too learned most of my vandalist, arsonist, and terrorist abilities from the A-Team.
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Jeremy M, 12 Aug 2008 @ 10:58am

Scapegoats and Backfiring Parenting
Yeah, if there's anything kids are good at, it's finding scapegoats.

Oh wait, it's something that everyone's good at. HA!

I agree with PaulT, we gotta ride this one out, though if you ask me, video game legislation is like overparenting overdrive. It's practically goading kids to get their hands on the game, because it's SO BAD!!! OOOOOOH!

Moral of the story: Over-protective parents = failboat patrons.
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another mike, 12 Aug 2008 @ 11:27am

we need answers
More importantly, did they videotape their mayhem to upload to Youtube? This is the sort of in-depth coverage we need here.
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wayniac917, 12 Aug 2008 @ 11:36am

Next time i get a speeding ticket im going to play grand turismo and see if i get off. Im tired of these stupid ass kids blaming video games for their stupidity and there ignorant parents believing them. maybe if the parents were involved in the kids lives they could see the warning signs that their kids a psycho and get them help. instead of passing the blame accept what youve done and accept the consiquences. Ive played violent video games since i was 12 starting out with doom and i play GTA4 all the time and i have yet to go out and kill someone.
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wayniac917, 12 Aug 2008 @ 11:38am

Next time i get a speeding ticket im going to blame grand turismo and see if i get off. Im tired of these stupid ass kids blaming video games for their stupidity and there ignorant parents believing them. maybe if the parents were involved in the kids lives they could see the warning signs that their kids a psycho and get them help. instead of passing the blame accept what youve done and accept the consiquences. Ive played violent video games since i was 12 starting out with doom and i play GTA4 all the time and i have yet to go out and kill someone.
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Anonymous Coward, 12 Aug 2008 @ 11:40am

kewl, cant wait until the new GTA comes out for PC!
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Anonymous Coward, 12 Aug 2008 @ 11:46am

you guys were all lazy. I actually had to open the Anarchist Cookbook to learn how to do these things. Reading is hard.
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Anonymous Coward, 12 Aug 2008 @ 11:51am

I learned that is alright to go out and kill other people and speed down the freeway from the news. I also learned that its okay to lie and make up stuff to get out of something, the news is doing it so I can too :D
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Old Guy, 12 Aug 2008 @ 11:53am

Re:
Grand Turismo?!?! I'll blame Burnout
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Anonymous Coward, 12 Aug 2008 @ 12:02pm

pole position made me crash my car!
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society, 12 Aug 2008 @ 12:02pm

Re:
Sam,
while I disagree that PaulT was wrong, I have to say that your comment brightened my day considerably. =)
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Anonymous Coward, 12 Aug 2008 @ 12:04pm

I flew my plane down the Mississippi shooting stuff up. It's not my fault though. I would not have done it if I had not played River Raid!
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tm, 12 Aug 2008 @ 12:06pm

Reality
With this article I think you've actually touched on a nerve MUCH LARGER. That is that in America, and maybe almost world-wide, we tend to blame anything else for our actions, other than taking our own responsibility. What do you expect from kids when they really are just mimicking their parents, leadership and the adult community at large?
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silencer, 12 Aug 2008 @ 12:10pm

Re: PaulT's facts?
Fact? Lets see these "current statistics" that you are quoting. Otherwise it is FACT, you made it up.
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Pissed, 12 Aug 2008 @ 12:10pm

Re:
Kids are learning how to deflect blame for their actions, while parents have yet another excuse to ignore their poor parenting skills and blame something else. Oh well, might as well wait this out until the next scapegoat comes along...
=========================================

I totally disagree, many parents feel that their hands are tied due to the stupid society standard "child abuse". If you discipline your child with a stern grip you are accused of abusing your child. Yet if you follow the guidelines you are accused of being a bad parent. Kids today know how to use the system to their advantage, plain and simple.

Get of you wagon of “bad parenting”, Help support parents by keeping local government & child advocates out of the family homes. Maybe then the family values can come back.
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Truthseeker, 12 Aug 2008 @ 12:12pm

I tried to blame scooby-do as a kid . . .
It never actually worked, but I’m not sure my father would have bought the video game thing either. He never believed I was just holding that bong for a friend or that my car got that dent while sitting in the parking lot at school. Was my farther some kind of truth detecting superman, or have parents today just become stupider?
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Anonymous Coward, 12 Aug 2008 @ 12:19pm

Re:
Ditto :(
now they've got it on video, no reading required.
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Anonymous Coward, 12 Aug 2008 @ 12:31pm

I was taught how to make Molotovs in school history classes, when we covered the Nazi invasion of Russia.

HISTORY LESSONS SHOULD BE BANNED!

THINK OF THE CHILDREN!
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WarOtter (profile), 12 Aug 2008 @ 12:34pm

Oops, I did it again!
Damn I just massacred thousands of Native Americans who were trying to defend their home and raped the women to my hearts content...

Custer's Revenge made me do it!
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biggiff, 12 Aug 2008 @ 12:38pm

Damn kids
And stay the hell off my lawn
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GTA Robber, 12 Aug 2008 @ 12:38pm

I don't get it.
You know, I saw a porsche 911 on the street, and I thought I'd really like to have that. So, I walked up to the door, controller in hand, and pressed triangle. It didn't work. I also did the Hokey Pokey...but no helicopters dropped from the sky.

I don't think GTA taught me anything.
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Anonymous Coward, 12 Aug 2008 @ 12:42pm

Sue the makers of any glass bottles, rags, and flammable liquids for inspiring molotov to invent such a weapon.

Then sue the inventors of glass, fabric and flammable liquids for inspiring the use of these products for violence.

Then sue every scientist or chemist or inventor for every thinking up any idea that could ever be used for wrongdoing.

Sue God for allowing such thought to occur.

Sue mankind for needing to create God to try and explain the unexplainable.

F**k it all.
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Anonymous Coward, 12 Aug 2008 @ 12:50pm

Re: Re:
I don't know where you get this. in my state Spanking a kid is perfectly allowed. what isn't allowed is leaving black and blue welts all over them. there is such a thing as moderation.

Even if spanking wasn't allowed many experts agree that it isn't the most effective form of punishment, making someone stay in the corner, do extra chores (cleaning the bathroom is one every kid hates), loss of of privelages, and so forth are all efective alternatives to Corporal punishment.

Also experts suggest that shouldn't stick to one punishment, you should constantly change your punishment so that they don't think things like "I know if I get caught, I'll get _______, but I think it is worth the risk" children are more likely to see a known punishment as an acceptable risk than they will an unknown punishment.

I don't think you know much about parenting if you think the only way to get kids in line is now illegal
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Anonymous Coward, 12 Aug 2008 @ 12:53pm

This is true.

You are allowed to hit your kid as hard as you possibly can, as long as its with an open and on their butt cheeks.

Give it a shot...they will love you for it.
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woah, 12 Aug 2008 @ 12:54pm

pissed...
you can displine ur children physically with calling it chil abuse, a smack across the face or butt isnt child abuse, BUT when an crazied out pysco parent goes on a rampage and start beating the sh*t out of the kid thats when its called abuse. parents jsut need to control their anger when they disapline their kids and thats why most parents dont displine cause they are afraid that they wont be able to control themselves
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Big Laz, 12 Aug 2008 @ 1:00pm

Re: Re:
There are plenty of ways to discipline your kids without being physical about it. Remove things they like having from their life from an early age to teach them that misbehaving is wrong.
Most parents were hit by their parents so they think that's the only way to punish kids. It's a bullshit cop-out for parents who don't want to take the time to teach their kids right from wrong.
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R, 12 Aug 2008 @ 1:01pm

Re:
Amen!!!!!!!!!!!
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Joe Sleestak, 12 Aug 2008 @ 1:02pm

Welcome to America
I learned to lie and steal from our politicians. If there was any money in video games that the politicians could get their hands on, then they would be selling GTA to 4 year olds.

Personally I have GTA IV and it rocks!
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Finnbjorn, 12 Aug 2008 @ 1:03pm

Re:
Sam,

I'd assume that you'd have to be 35 year old house wife with terrible parenting skills and 10 juvenile kleptomaniacs that you squeezed from your womb and ignored into their disorders in order to have a problem with Paul's well stated argument; but, your missive has all the complexity of a 12 year old gamer junkie; so, either you are a 12 year old gamer junkie who's upset that your ploy to get out of trouble has been found out (which is just silly; because, intelligent people were wise to this nonsense before you were crawling); or, apart from being a horrible mother, you are also a meth head. I believe that GTA provides an out let from violent and criminal impulses that didn't exist 30 years ago; and, I would expect it cause a drop in real world crime.
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woah, 12 Aug 2008 @ 1:05pm

big laz when the kids become teenagers they wont care if u just take away their stuff i think it should be combineation of both some phsyical displine and taking what they have away. phsyical for the immediate punishment and taking away their stuff for long term punishment
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wasnt me!, 12 Aug 2008 @ 1:05pm

Re: Darn kids
I was thinking the same.

the A Team Rocks.
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Jizzle, 12 Aug 2008 @ 1:06pm

What is wrong with people. They are afraid to take accountability for their actions. Like a get out of jail free card they sit there and blame everyone and everything else. You wanna point the finger at someone? How about the parents. Where were the parents when these kids were out there making molotov cocktails and fire-bombing the cars? The parents should be partly to blame and the rest on the kids that actually did it. Make an example out of them. Show the world that these kids can't sit there and blame a video game for an action they consciously take and carry out.
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Sierra Night Tide, 12 Aug 2008 @ 1:09pm

blameT
The name of the game is Who To Blame game.

TONIGHT!!! The new reality television series Who To Blame. Who can create the best blame story, do the crime, no time and win the big bucks! ONLY ON FOX!
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Finnbjorn, 12 Aug 2008 @ 1:14pm

Hell, I learned how to make Molotovs from dear old Dad. He's also the one who put the idea in my head to roll one into the middle of the PDs parking lot. Never did, though. There have been days when I seriously wanted to go out and kill someone; but instead, when I got home, I plugged in the GTA, made myself invincible and went on a rampage. An hour later I was right as rain.
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GaryRay, 12 Aug 2008 @ 1:20pm

URL
Stats, you want stinkin' stats
http://ojjdp.ncjrs.org/ojstatbb/nr2006/index.html

"Citing FBI and other data sources, the Report demonstrates that the rate of juvenile violent crime arrests has consistently decreased since 1994, falling to a level not seen since at least the 1970s."
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Michael Ennis, 12 Aug 2008 @ 1:30pm

Re: Re: PaulT's facts?
Here they are:

http://www.gamerevolution.com/features/violence_and_videogames

Enjoy!
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BJ, 12 Aug 2008 @ 1:56pm

Re: Ur 100%
This guy is exactly right! Learn to be a parent before you become one. Stop trying to pass the buck.
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Mr. T, 12 Aug 2008 @ 2:30pm

Re: Darn kids
Murdock was a FOOL!
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Anonymous Coward, 12 Aug 2008 @ 2:32pm

Re:
What a pathetic world we live in! SUE THE FRENCH!
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Anonymous Coward, 12 Aug 2008 @ 2:36pm

Re: Re:
Finnbjorn,

I think everyone got that sam's comment was a joke, except you, of course. Wow. I'll bet you feel like a real party jerk right about now.

I think sam should kill you.
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Esther, 12 Aug 2008 @ 2:41pm

Re: Welcome to America
I learned to lie and steal from our politicians. If there was any money in video games that the politicians could get their hands on, then they would be selling GTA to 4 year olds. A man with a gun walks up to another man on a DC street and says 'Give me all your money!' The victim says 'Don't you recognize me? I'm a U.S. Senator!' The robber says 'All right, then give me all of MY money!'
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I remember..., 12 Aug 2008 @ 3:04pm

The OLD DAYS!!
Didn't you guys know? Its a parental conspiracy. They buy their kids GTA so if their kids do anything wrong, they have some place to point to finger, or tell their kid to point the finger. Video games were made to baby sit troubled kids and make up for crappy parenting.

There are a million different reasons why a kid decides to do what was in a video game, but my guess is, there wasn't anyone around to tell them it is wrong, the automatic baby sitter said it was okay.

Regardless, this is obviously about placing blame, censorship, and mostly bad parenting. I'd press the square button, up, down, left, right key sequence on my kid if they did any of this crap.

I wish Techdirt would stop using headlines like "Kids Have Learned: Blame GTA even if it wasn't in the game" Even if butt holes are doing it, use a line like "Bad parenting allows kids to blame GTA for something bad they did".

I'd be scared to let current kids have a copy of Anarchist Cookbook. Send kids to Juve like the old days, and hold parents responsible for their kids' actions, like the old days. And while they're busy being locked up, lets play some GTA.
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Paul, 12 Aug 2008 @ 5:04pm

Agree and Disagree
Just because they come pre-assembled and you don't see the construction of the weapon does not mean you cannot divulge how to construct the weapon. In the game the weapon is perceived as a glass bottle, resembling an alcohol bottle, with some kind of cloth hanging out of the neck which is then lit on fire and thrown to a fiery effect.

I'd be concerned if a kid didn't figure out how to make them just based on that information.

As for the fire-bombing of cars, that can be witnessed in the newer GTA games.

The whole thing is just the blame game but I had to toss that in.
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Anonymous Coward, 12 Aug 2008 @ 5:44pm

"many parents feel that their hands are tied due to the stupid society standard "child abuse". If you discipline your child with a stern grip you are accused of abusing your child. Yet if you follow the guidelines you are accused of being a bad parent. "

"Get of you wagon of “bad parenting” "

You obviously don't work in public education, and have not meet many parents whose children attend public schools! In many areas bad ignorant parents who should not be allowed to reproduce but instead have 10 kids are a HUGE part of the problem! You must be completely blind to the world to say otherwise. It would be interesting to know which demographic and what country on which planet you come from!
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Anonymous Coward, 12 Aug 2008 @ 5:55pm

Re: Re: Re:
dude! finnbjorn knew sam was joking and was making a joke about his joke. then you called him a jerk because you thought he wasnt joking about the first joke but everyone else got that finnbjorn was joking about the other joke except you!!! shit dude! what a party jerk!
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Anonymous Coward, 12 Aug 2008 @ 6:03pm

Re: Re: Re: Re:
I think sam should kill paul then finnbjorn should kill sam, and anonymous should kill finnbjorn.
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PaulT (profile), 13 Aug 2008 @ 2:00am

Re: Re:
When I talk about bad parenting, I'm talking about those who try to overprotect their kids from the phantoms of paedophiles, try to shield their children from failure and never tell them anything wrong, and are afraid to say "no" to them. The parents who push their kids onto schools, government and private organisations to raise, those who raise their kids on TV instead of human interaction. I'm talking about parents who raise spoilt brats at the expense of others, then run around blaming rap music, videogames and other technology when the kids don't turn out so well.

And your solution to this is to be allowed to beat them? If you want a sign of a bad parent, try one who needs to beat their child to have any authority over them.

There are hundreds of ways to raise a child without resorting to violence, don't blame videogames or government when your Neanderthal mind can't conceive of them.
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Anonymous Coward, 13 Aug 2008 @ 7:59am

Re: Re: Re:
I agree completely. It is irritating to see so many parents looking for any excuse for thier childrens bad behavoir, other then the obvious, that thier children are just behaving badly. I am not saying we need to start beating the crap out of them (I too believe there are far better solutions), but parents should stop this nonsense of teaching thier prodigy how to blame thier own behavoir on someone else. It will only lead to an eventual tearful prison speech about how "the system" put them there. Believe me, when your kid becomes an adult and kills someone with crowbar, the judge is not gonna care how many times they played Half Life.
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Nicolo The Magnificent, 24 Aug 2008 @ 12:46am

Next week: World War 2 was inspired by the Call of Duty series.
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Steve, 26 Jan 2013 @ 2:23am

Minecraft learned me how to burn a house using flint and steel! I think we should sue them!!!
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