So, this probably passed by a lot of the folk based in the US, maybe even within Europe, but recently one of the national tabloid papers ran a front page story claiming that Fortnite turned a teen into a suicidal drug addict.
Eurogamer (along with one of their former Video Producers Chris Bratt) have done some really good investigation into the story, the author and how this kind of stuff happens. Thought people might find it interesting/terrifying how this kind of stuff comes to be reported.
https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2018-08-01-anatomy-of-a-tabloid-fortnite-front-page-story
Also, the top comment on the story from a therapist is really interesting too, as it shows how even large & generally respected news organisations like the BBC can fall into these kind of generalisations.
| I've experienced first hand how media treat this sort of thing. A few weeks ago, right when the World Health Organisation announced gaming disorder was going to be a thing, I was contacted by the local BBC radio and asked if I would go on their midday show to talk about it (I'm a therapist in the same area who covers, amongst other things, addiction). They had no knowledge of my life and passion as a gamer, it was purely a professional stand point they wanted. When I spoke to them on the phone I told them that I was a gamer and explained that playing lots of games is different from addiction, and that it's important to recognise that for kids now going home and playing a few games online with their friends is this generations version of meeting down the park. I explained that in my 20s I'd played lots of video games, and sometimes played them for what was excessive amounts, but that it was what all my friends we're doing and it didn't impact on my job, relationship or social life. I never used the word addiction in this. Skip to the next day and as I'm driving to the station the radio starts doing a build up and talks about having "a former gaming addict" who now "works as a therapist helping those with the same issue" coming on the show. Yup, me. They'd announced this twice by the time I'd got to the radio station. Despite me trying to talk to someone about this when I'd got there it the damage was done, and all I could do was try to clarify it on air. Long story short, media will always try for the sensational angle as it sells better. |
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