A British child safety expert has advocated age rating for cartoons just like films so that kids can be protected against the violence shown in programmes like Scooby Doo and Batman.
According to Dr Karen Pfeffer, a senior lecturer at the University of Lincoln, dangerous actions that would normally lead to injury are hardy shown to have ill effects in cartoons.
High Rates of Childhood Exposure to Violence Seen in the US
U.S. children are routinely exposed to even more violence and abuse than has been previously recognized, according to a new study.
U.S. children are routinely exposed to even more violence and abuse than has been previously recognized, according to a new study.
Dr Pfeffer rated cartoon shows like Scooby-Doo, Batman, X-Men and Ben 10 as containing scenes with the most risky behaviour.
"I have looked at whether television's portrayal of risky behaviour affects children and have found evidence of children imitating dangerous TV behaviours, evidence of a positive correlation between amount of TV viewing and injury rates and evidence that TV viewing can affect children's perceptions of risk," the Telegraph quoted her, as saying.
"The problem is that these characters engage in risky behaviours and experience great violence but the negative consequences of dangerous behaviour are usually not portrayed."
Dr Pfeffer added: "There is no simple relationship between TV viewing and children's behaviour but children can imitate and learn from these images of violence, particularly if no negative consequences are portrayed.
Advertisement
Dr Pfeffer, an international mentor for the World Health Organisation, will address the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents this week and seek a rating for children's TV shows so that parents can keep a chjheck on what their children are watching.
Advertisement
Source-ANI
TAN
