October 1, 2025
AFN: Enough is Enough: Games marketed to children must prioritize their safety
Kathy Hatem, director of communications for Enough is Enough, says online gaming culture includes addictive algorithms and other issues that require parents to stay involved.
"A study came out just last year saying that 85% of U.S. teens say they're playing video games," she relays. "About four in 10 are doing so on a daily basis."
Though she recognizes that games can be used for education, especially strategy and skill building, there are also risks and dangers.
Hatem, Kathy (Enough is Enough) Hatem
"For starters, children who play can be desensitized because of the violence that's included in these games," Hatem notes. "Unlike when you're playing a board game ... the player that's engaged in an online game is actually enacting violence rather than passively watching something. That may over time begin to numb their emotional response."
Online gamers can also be exposed to radicalized content or extremist ideas that may amplify intolerance and violence.