The New York Times Is Worried Kids Are Playing Video Games Too Much During The Pandemic - Kotaku

Yesterday, the New York Times ran a story that focused on how kids are spending too much time playing video games and using their phones during the covid-19 pandemic.

But it also glossed over the fact that video games and the internet have helped many people, kids and adults, stay connected and sane during this terrible time.

Their son plays a lot of video games as a way to connect with his friends.

But highlighting only kids and how much screentime they are using ignores that all of us, not just children and teens, are dealing with increased screentime and a lack of real human interaction.

Tell your wife that you need to play Xbox?” This is a quote included in the story, from the mother, as the son explains that after their dog died on New Year’s Eve, he used games to take his mind off the sadness.

Yet, I can list numerous times when I and others used video games as a way to relieve stress or escape from a terrible day.

The real question is why that frustration needed to be on the front page of the New York Times, presented in an article that frames video games and the internet as dangerous, addictive things that are ruining our children and holding them captive.

The article literally opens with a quote from the father about how he feels like he has “failed” his son, because he plays video games and uses his phone.

This isn’t the first time we have seen larger and older outlets focus on only children playing games and try to use fear-mongering and scary numbers to build a narrative that completely ignores reality?

So if you or your kids need to escape and want to play some Minecraft and maybe you end up playing a few hours more than usual, don’t worry about it.