Read on Twitter
CW: Suicide
The moral panic around technology - comic books, D&D, video games - has long been associated with negative consequences, including suicide.
Suicide is not unidimensional and casually attributing it to media use is irresponsible and factually incorrect.
(a thread)
The moral panic around technology - comic books, D&D, video games - has long been associated with negative consequences, including suicide.
Suicide is not unidimensional and casually attributing it to media use is irresponsible and factually incorrect.
(a thread)
Brought to my attention this morning from @LindaKKaye was a newly published article that uses press reports as evidence to demonstrate causal factors of suicide between “PUBG-addiction” and suicide. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/ppc.12640
In response to this (and other similar articles from the same authors), @PeteEtchells @LindaKKaye @lieberothdk and others penned a response to the editor noting the responsibility of these claims which remains "under review".
It can be found here: https://psyarxiv.com/a4nzh/
It can be found here: https://psyarxiv.com/a4nzh/
In their response, they note that these publications "fall short of ethical and best-practice standards in the reporting of suicide, and risks confusing the public debate around video games effects.”
While the case presentation disclaims in fine print “It is likely that all three individuals experienced other predisposing factors relating to psychological instability,” the title itself links video game play and suicide playing in to our favorite old hat: moral panic.
This article not only points to video game play, but video game "addiction" which remains a hotly debated topic with a low quality research base.
The title (and paper) also links risks of suicide to the #COVID19 pandemic. This is again selective framing that does little more than to raise the panic in and around games and suicide rates within the “COVID times” as...
...we know games have been a saving grace for many during COVID quarantine...
...and suicide rates have not increased during the pandemic as expertly pointed out by @tylerblack32 https://twitter.com/tylerblack32/status/1358200769770524677
Sensationalized news media, cherry picked evidence, and lazy editing continue to perpetuate misinformation about the role of media in our lives. It is not only exhausting but a waste of time and resources.
Is too much of anything potentially maladaptive? YES. But reporting casual links between “PUBG” and suicide is not only irresponsible but reprehensible.
Also, this seems like a good time for a friendly reminder that correlation is not causation:
Also, this seems like a good time for a friendly reminder that correlation is not causation:
Suicide is a multifaceted topic that includes individual, relationship, community and societal factors.
https://www.cdc.gov/suicide/factors/index.html?CDC_AA_refVal=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cdc.gov%2Fviolenceprevention%2Fsuicide%2Friskprotectivefactors.html
https://www.cdc.gov/suicide/factors/index.html?CDC_AA_refVal=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cdc.gov%2Fviolenceprevention%2Fsuicide%2Friskprotectivefactors.html
Going a bit broader, and taking a page from @CJFerguson1111's book, demographic factors are far more influential and significant than "media use" when looking at behavioral outcomes. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs10964-016-0561-8
...and as put by @PeteEtchells and colleagues in their letter to the editor:
"Although presented as a case report, the publication falls short of ethical and best-practice standards in the reporting of suicide, and risks confusing the public debate around video games effects."
"Although presented as a case report, the publication falls short of ethical and best-practice standards in the reporting of suicide, and risks confusing the public debate around video games effects."
We don't need more fear about video games, we need clarity.
These kinds of articles (which I can only assume get written due to "publish or perish academic mentalities) are doing ACTIVE HARM.
Stop. Perpetuating. The. Moral. Panic.
These kinds of articles (which I can only assume get written due to "publish or perish academic mentalities) are doing ACTIVE HARM.
Stop. Perpetuating. The. Moral. Panic.
