Media Coalition Submits Written Testimony for Hearing on “The Impact of Media Violence on Public Safety”

On July 9 2013, Media Coalition submitted a written testimony for the record to a hearing titled, “The Impact of Media Violence on Public Safety,” held by the California Senate Public Safety Subcommittee on Gangs, Guns, and Drugs on July 10, 2013.

Two panels included Dr. Laramie Taylor, Associate Professor of Communications at UC Davis, testifying on media violence and public health, Mr. Ashutosh Bhagwat, J.D. Professor of Law at UC Davis testifying on constitutional law and the First Amendment, and Ms. Colby Zintl, Vice President at Common Sense Media.

Media Coalition’s testimony points out that video games are First Amendment protected and can’t be regulated by the State based on content.

The memo explains that media effects research does not support the claim that media causes actual antisocial behavior. Independent reviews of the Social Science literature studying the effects of violent video games and found that the research is inconclusive and methodologically flawed.

Finally, the testimony explains how there is no statistical correlation between real measures of violence and availability of the media. Although media consumption has increased with increased availability of content, crime rates have decreased.

Media Coalition also submitted the report Only a Game: Why Censoring Media Won’t Stop Gun Violence. Christopher J. Fergueson Ph. D, from Texas A&M University also submitted a written testimony to the hearing.