Game companies sued ,13 year old addicted, spends 13 hours a day playing

W

WhatInThe

SF VIP
A family of a 13 year old addicted to video games is suing some gaming companies because their son is considered to have internet gaming disorder . He spent $350 a month and played 13 hours a day. He now has to be home schooled, is withdrawn, prone to gamers rage and physical injuries from repetitive play. Went through a period where he spent $3000 on games not including the game devices, equipment themselves.

Arkansas family files negligence lawsuit against major video game companies, accusing them of negligence for son's gaming addiction

It sounds like the family let their baby sitting device get the better of him. That being said these games are not checkers and create realistic fantasy worlds including sound effects and music that could keep a player wanting to play more. I don't think many parents realize how elaborate these games are. These are not just 'games' in a tradtional sense.

After the first $350 bill came in(assuming he used parents credit card) that would've been it. Or if a kid ask for games above 50 bucks I'd be leary period.
 

Put the responsibility squarely on the ADULTS who let this happen. The proper term is enablers. I sure hope this civil suit is laughed out of court by a Judge with a smidgeon of common sense. This kid needs to be moved to a temporary foster home, for at least 6 months, to get his head straightened out. Home schooling is not the answer. Get him out into the real world and having to relate to other kids as his peer group. JimB.
 
jimintoronto said:
Put the responsibility squarely on the ADULTS who let this happen. The proper term is enablers. I sure hope this civil suit is laughed out of court by a Judge with a smidgeon of common sense. This kid needs to be moved to a temporary foster home, for at least 6 months, to get his head straightened out. Home schooling is not the answer. Get him out into the real world and having to relate to other kids as his peer group. JimB.
Click to expand...
Absolutely the parents enabled him as many do with other addictions. He is exhibiting addict like symptoms. The problem is with many addict children is they don't want to go into the outside world or cannot deal with the real world which is a problem in itself.

I wonder at what point they tried to get him to stop playing the games. More than an a hour or two a day should've been a warning sign. Along with failing grades, no friends, not going outside etc.
 

WhatInThe said:
Absolutely the parents enabled him as many do with other addictions. He is exhibiting addict like symptoms. The problem is with many addict children is they don't want to go into the outside world or cannot deal with the real world which is a problem in itself.

I wonder at what point they tried to get him to stop playing the games. More than an a hour or two a day should've been a warning sign. Along with failing grades, no friends, not going outside etc.
Click to expand...
The root problem ( in my opinion ) is the parenting style where the adults TRY to best friends with their children, rather than being adult role models. Being able to SAY NO, firmly, and without wavering, is what is lacking here. Consequences resulting from actions by the child. Be mouthy and disrespectful ? Loose the things you like, for a few days. Continue the attitude, and loose more things. Don't want to bathe, or clean your room ? Fine, watch the bed room become an empty room with just a mattress and no toys. Don't like the food being offered ? Go buy your own. REWARD good behavior, with the return of some things, but only if the behavior continues to be good, as measured by the Parents standards.

Don't tell me how good you are..SHOW me how good you are as a human being day by day. JimB.
 
The fact his parents apparently rationalized moving forward with such a ridiculous lawsuit despite probable advice against doing so they must have received from others, reflects on a personal arrogance of persons that hate others that disagree with them and defensively blame others for their own guilty mistakes. And thus proceed with their own twisted ideas like crazed cult leaders.

That a 13 year old kid had access to spend $3000 on anything without apparent oversight cries out to a lack of parental responsibility or supervision. The parents, now exposed to the public in ways they obviously have not previously been exposed to, despite their probable wealth, are in for a rude awakening when they become rightfully publicly ridiculed.

And what is the story of the apparent lawyer that agreed to take up and pose the case?
 
I thought video games had a rating system like movies. Are the packages clearly marked as are the websites that sell them or time to play? A mature content warning should've been a enough to draw the parent's attention.

I will say these companies design games and other products so the consumer keeps coming back for more. A 13 year old mind would be wide open to any techiques, tricks or game features used to keep them coming back for more. Saw one article accomplishing things in a game leads to a dopamine hit in the brain. They basically put cheese on string and treat the player like a mouse in a maze.
 
David777 said:
The fact his parents apparently rationalized moving forward with such a ridiculous lawsuit despite probable advice against doing so they must have received from others, reflects on a personal arrogance of persons that hate others that disagree with them and defensively blame others for their own guilty mistakes. And thus proceed with their own twisted ideas like crazed cult leaders.

That a 13 year old kid had access to spend $3000 on anything without apparent oversight cries out to a lack of parental responsibility or supervision. The parents, now exposed to the public in ways they obviously have not previously been exposed to, despite their probable wealth, are in for a rude awakening when they become rightfully publicly ridiculed.

And what is the story of the apparent lawyer that agreed to take up and pose the case?
Click to expand...
In the US legal civil trial system, lawyers operate on the "contingency award basis ". They get paid IF THEY WIN. That feeds the stupidity circus. The standard percentage IF THEY WIN is thirty percent of the judgement made by the court/jury. In some cases the percentage may be as high as fifty percent to the winning law firm. There is no disincentive to not sue in the US civil trial system.

In other English speaking nations that follow British Common Law principles, the court may find against the plaintive, and make them pay the entire legal costs of the party they sued, PLUS their own legal costs, as well. THAT keeps the nonsense cases out of the courts. Here in Canada some individuals have been designated as being " wasters of the courts time " and forbidden to make any more civil suits at all. JImB.
 
When our daughter was a teen, her computer hours were regulated. Only once her homework was done, was she allowed a couple of hours online. It also depended on what time she finished her homework.

Summers, she spent at Day Camp, dance and gymnastics to keep her busy. She didn't have time to think about being on the computer.
 
jimintoronto said:
The root problem ( in my opinion ) is the parenting style where the adults TRY to best friends with their children, rather than being adult role models. Being able to SAY NO, firmly, and without wavering, is what is lacking here. Consequences resulting from actions by the child. Be mouthy and disrespectful ? Loose the things you like, for a few days. Continue the attitude, and loose more things. Don't want to bathe, or clean your room ? Fine, watch the bed room become an empty room with just a mattress and no toys. Don't like the food being offered ? Go buy your own. REWARD good behavior, with the return of some things, but only if the behavior continues to be good, as measured by the Parents standards.

Don't tell me how good you are..SHOW me how good you are as a human being day by day. JimB.
Click to expand...
I don't know if it's actually a case of wanting to be friends with their kids unless they play the games alongside them, so much as it relieves a lot of parents of having to try and find other ways to keep those kids busy or entertained. Costs way more in both personal time and cash, to be taking your kids to hockey (?) practise or games, then to let them plop down in front of a screen.

When I look at my little grandson and his soon to arrive little brother, all I can say is I wouldn't want to be raising kids today with the temptations of cell phones, social media, fantastic computer games, etc, to try and keep them away from. When my kids were little, all we had to do was ration cartoons!
 
WhatInThe said:
A family of a 13 year old addicted to video games is suing some gaming companies because their son is considered to have internet gaming disorder . He spent $350 a month and played 13 hours a day. He now has to be home schooled, is withdrawn, prone to gamers rage and physical injuries from repetitive play. Went through a period where he spent $3000 on games not including the game devices, equipment themselves.

Arkansas family files negligence lawsuit against major video game companies, accusing them of negligence for son's gaming addiction

It sounds like the family let their baby sitting device get the better of him. That being said these games are not checkers and create realistic fantasy worlds including sound effects and music that could keep a player wanting to play more. I don't think many parents realize how elaborate these games are. These are not just 'games' in a tradtional sense.

After the first $350 bill came in(assuming he used parents credit card) that would've been it. Or if a kid ask for games above 50 bucks I'd be leary period.
Click to expand...

Said it before, gonna say it again. :D

Video game companies have done extensive research into human behavior and psychology. They know exactly how to keep you playing. They use tried and tested, drip fed, dopamine hits by handing out loot boxes and he like, and it's done only because they know humans get addicted this way. From where you eyes move on a screen, to where you move your mouse pointer - they study it, they know it, and they use it.

Just as grocery stores know that you buy more stuff at eye level than you do from the bottom shelf, and that end of aisle sells better than mid-aisle. Or that smooth music makes you buy more. It's tapping into human behavior patterns. It's not a coincidence, and developers didn't just stumble on this stuff - they study it, hard code it, and enforce it. This is not mysterious.
 
Paladin1950 said:
I'm an amateur I guess. I play regular solitaire, Tri-Peaks solitaire, Klondike Solitaire, and Forty Thieves. I used to be into Mahjpong
Click to expand...
This is probably what a parent is thinking of when they buy their kid a modern video game-it's just a game(although the price alone should sound alarms) "Oh they're in their room playing games". But these are not just 'games'. Even if one compares to first generation video games like Pong with a black and white screen these are not just 'games'

Games tend to be associated with recreation, spare time etc. If a child or teen plays games daily for hours that should trip an alarm in a parents mind especially if the kid is not doing well in school or socially. The child should be told they must earn recreational time.
 
Last edited:
Pinky said:
Kids aren't the only one's hooked on games. Someone I used to know, met a man on a dating site. He and his adult son were into a popular War game. They would stay up through the night, and all day playing this game on their computers. It finally ended their relationship.
Click to expand...
My husband loves playing his video games and personally I'm glad that he has them. The benefit to seniors who play those games is that it compels them to think and strategize and learn new games and even provides an opportunity to socialize with other players all over the world. All of that is very good I would think for maintaining brain function.

The other thing too is I live in Alberta and winter here for a senior can be deadly boring especially when the temps drop to -28 like it is today. He plays them a lot less in summer, but cold weather is easier for him to take, with something to do besides watching Youtube videos where he doesn't even have to do anything.

I think for kids, they are definitely a problem and do require a Herculean effort on the part of parents to control what can easily become a problem and for some adults, yes, they can become a problem in the arena of work and relationships. But there's still some benefit to them for some folks.
 
Debrah N. said:
My husband loves playing his video games and personally I'm glad that he has them. The benefit to seniors who play those games is that it compels them to think and strategize and learn new games and even provides an opportunity to socialize with other players all over the world. All of that is very good I would think for maintaining brain function.

The other thing too is I live in Alberta and winter here for a senior can be deadly boring especially when the temps drop to -28 like it is today. He plays them a lot less in summer, but cold weather is easier for him to take, with something to do besides watching Youtube videos where he doesn't even have to do anything.

I think for kids, they are definitely a problem and do require a Herculean effort on the part of parents to control what can easily become a problem and for some adults, yes, they can become a problem in the arena of work and relationships. But there's still some benefit to them for some folks.
Click to expand...

One of the problems with games today is caused by the integration of gambling elements. There was a time when you paid for a game, and that was the total cost. Today it isn't like that. They have "Loot Boxes", and "In-Game Stores", and so on. The game has its hand in your pocket the whole time. This is where kids get caught out.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top