Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Proposes Investigation into Links Between Video Games and Gun Violence

Investigating Links Between Video Games, Medication, and Social Media in Gun Violence amid Lack of Consensus

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced at a press event that the National Institutes of Health (NIH) will investigate potential connections between gun violence and factors such as excessive medication for children, social media, and video games. This initiative follows the release of his plan, “Make Our Children Healthy Again,” which outlines various strategies to improve children’s health. While a government report addresses screen time generally, it does not specifically identify video games as a cause of violence. Scientists note that some studies indicate a short-term increase in aggressive behavior immediately after playing video games; however, there is no conclusive evidence linking them to violent crimes or school shootings. Many researchers highlight the difficulty in establishing such a causal link due to factors like limited sample sizes and the influence of other variables, such as access to guns. The NIH’s exploration of these theories, including video games, comes as the scientific community currently lacks consensus on a direct causal link between them and real-world violence.