Ban on Video Games?

The Minister for Family and Youth Ursula von der Leyen proposed amendments on Tuesday to current youth protection laws to limit youth's access to violent video games and movies

The minister said the government decided to call for a law that has a stronger definition of violence.

"We want more control mechanisms," she said. "Whenever you are in shop buying a computer or video game it is going to be clear -- this is not to be in children's hands."

Fears follow school shootings

The move comes in the wake of increasing German concern about the effects of violent media on young people and possible links to extreme acts of violence by young people in recent years.

In November last year, an 18-year-old student shot and injured 32 people at his former high school, before committing suicide at the scene. According to his former schoolmates, the young man was a fanatical player of the violent computer game "Counter-Strike." At the time, parents and politicians called for action against such games.

Von der Leyen's plans include bigger warning labels, similar to those on cigarette packets warning of the dangers of smoking , on computer games. The amendments also call for violent computer games with age restrictions to produce a beeping sound when scanned at cash registers to alert the cashier. Some games and films would also no longer be available at general shops at all.

The second part of her strategy involves greater information for parents, including several online portals that will soon be available to inform parents about the content of computer games on the market

Problem beyond borders

Armin Laschet, youth minister of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, supported the move but also said EU-wide action is needed.

"We need a European debate because games are produced in every member state of the European Union and abroad from Asia or the United States," Laschet said.

However, not everyone agrees on the alleged link between violent entertainment and violent action. Klaus Hurrelmann, a specialist in sociology and child development at the University of Bielefeld, said the evidence doesn't support the connection made by politicians.

"We have to rely on research in this case that says there is no lineal or causal relationship between computer games and violent behavior," he said. "We have, first, the vulnerable personality that really triggers violence, and, second, finding a fitting context. Only if these things come together does the vicious circle begin."