Comments with -10 or lower "thumbs" are removed from display.

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  8 thumbs!

  Gothic Girl | January 17, 2008
  Pfft. I was playing video games since I was four and there's nothing wrong with my atention span or learning abilities. And I'm pretty sure I'm not a "freak case" either - There's plenty of people who have played games since a young age and there's nothing wrong with them.
  
  This is just another one of those bullshit studies that have wasted yet more of the tax-payer's money.
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  4 thumbs!

  Murray3 | January 17, 2008
  Three years old for me and it never affected a, wait what are we talking about?
  
  Seriously though this is bull, we should just stop the console war and work together to take down these evils then get back to fightin'!
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  0 thumbs!

  Play ISDF | January 17, 2008
  I've played games since I was 3, firstly on computer, then I got a Gameboy colour, then I got some consoles and played games on those, while still playing on hand-helds and computers. These days when I have the whole day to myself I'll just sit inside and play games all day as I have absolutely nothing better to do (my town is small and boring, and all my friends live out of town, going outside alone to walk around for a few hours everyday gets boring FAST). I've never gone more than a week without playing a game for at least a few good hours and I'm completely fine. My brain has developed like any other "normal" person and I'm more reasonable, understanding, and generally more mature then quite a few adults. If that isn't proof enough, I played "mature" rated games and such when I was just 3, and watched "mature" rated shows and such as well, and continued to do so right up to this point in my life. If they still can't swallow that this is complete bullshit, then they simply have a wish to hate video games.
  
  Oh and I'm not addicted to games at all.
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  0 thumbs!

  DarkLordAkuma | January 17, 2008
  Ive been playing games since i was 2, i am now 20 and currently studying a Degree course in Multimedia Technology / Robotics and AI.
  
  Ive always been a gamer througout my whole life, there is very rarely a day i dont play a game for atleast 30 minutes. My attention span hasnt really been effected by this, i can most definately say that seeing as i sit through 2 and a half hour lectures.
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  4 thumbs!

  Smoke | January 17, 2008
  What? All the research I read beforehand says otherwise, including in my psychology class in college.
  
  Kids that play videogames have a much higher attention span and amazing hand-eye coordination as opposed to those who do not. I honestly wouldn't trust this research at all. Sure, a first time reaction to the game may have those results, but to a child who understands the concept of the game only being a game, the results are extremely different.
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    3 thumbs!

    Storm | January 17, 2008
    You're right Smoke. This is just to ultimately restrict games, little-by-little, and put more blame on it rather than bad kindergarten teachers, parenting, or no other motivation. Meh, this and the whole 'video games are making kids obese!' is getting out of line.
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  0 thumbs!

  slumpy monkey | January 17, 2008
  This is idiotic to say the least.
  
  Ive played games since I was four and I am predicted 4 A* and the rest are B's.
  
  GAming improves hand eye co-ordination, Which is extremely helpful with things in life(driving etc)
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  1 thumbs!

  dragoshi1 | January 17, 2008
  I have been playing games since I was 2,like sonic the Hedgehog and Super Mario. What the bloody hell!? My 3 year old sibling plays Super Mario DS games, and she is smart enough to do things!
  
  It's official, gaming does not make us stupid, our government does
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  0 thumbs!

  IAMJOB56 | January 17, 2008
  This is the most *bleep*ed thing I have ever seen.
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  2 thumbs!

  Capn Droid | January 17, 2008
  I've played a Mario game when I was three... no, not Super Mario Bros. I'm talking about some computer Mario game that taught me numbers and the alphabet.
  
  They shouldn't enforce strict policies against young children playing video games or not. They should be enforcing policies about what games they play at that age. A seven year old playing Halo, for instance, probably isn't the best choice; even though it's an awesome game, it just isn't for their time. But things like PokeMon... well, children aren't going to adapt to "what should I put in my resume... hmmm... graduated from PokeMon School... experienced PokeMon master... caught own Ho-oh without assistance..." No, I think that shan't happen.
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  -1 thumbs!

  tallteen86 | January 17, 2008
  Whoa, whats with all the people playing games like, before they should even be toilet trained 0_o Four years old? Three years old? TWO years old? Not complaining mind you, but I think that is a ridiculously early age....But hey, gaming is supposed to develop logic and reasoning, as well as hand-eye co-ordination, so sooner = better I guess
  
  Didn't start playing games until I was like....6 or something myself lol, on my Cousin's NES ; Didn't get my own console until 8 or something (Genesis and SNES)
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    0 thumbs!

    Gogetenks | January 17, 2008
    Well, I was playing at around that age too. My brother was a pre-teen during the NES era and I got into it, then I've been hooked ever since. Blame siblings.
    
    Although I haven't noticed anything wrong with my attention span or anything, nor have I noticed anything in many people I know, so I doubt the results of the research because, in practice, I don't see any real connection.
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      1 thumbs!

      Gothic Girl | January 18, 2008

      quote

      Whoa, whats with all the people playing games like, before they should even be toilet trained 0_o Four years old? Three years old? TWO years old? Not complaining mind you, but I think that is a ridiculously early age

      Lol. I was pretty hyperactive when I was a kid. I spent most of my day's trying to escape from the backyard just so I could run down the road to see how far it went. My parents gave me an Atari to keep my mind off that. XD
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    0 thumbs!

    Murray3 | January 18, 2008
    I played first when I went to a friends place, they were playing Super Mario All-Stars+Super Mario World and they let me play Super Mario Bros 2, I got to around world 1-4 before I had to leave, from then on I always wanted to go there, then my mum rented a Nintendo 64 a Super Mario 64, I would continously play until it went back then I'd work until I got ten stickers (or something like that) then I could rent one, on my sixth Birthday I finally got my own.
    
    So not only do video games help hand-eye coordination and mental ability but determination and are a good way to get a child to work, you know, I'm gonna try that, let them play once then set the hook in 'em!
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  0 thumbs!

  nflsmc | January 17, 2008
  I've been playing games since I was 3 and I have a 91.7 average in the 11th grade. That was some serious damage.
  
  Hell, I bet without video games I could have a 100!
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  2 thumbs!

  Bri | January 18, 2008
  It depends child to child. It's only valid for over-sensitive children, like I used to be as a kid. I was very impressionable, the best example I can think of was the original Silent Hill back in '99, I was 9 or so, and that game gave me terrible nightmares for weeks. I couldn't even look at the cover, that's how bad it got.
  
  But for most kids, especially today's kids, since violence is to no surprise, more widespeard than before, a minimum age wouldn't make any difference whatsoever. This "research" needs to be thrown out, it's simply too big of an issue to tackle because we are all different people.
  
  If you're wondering, I do not tense up during horror games anymore. I finished Silent Hill at the age of 16 (LOL!), laughing my way to the credits
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  1 thumbs!

  cam94509 | January 18, 2008
  hmmmm.......looks like bull to me. like, complete and total bull. I think I played video games slightly before 7. (at this point, I read the artical):
  "only two utilised proven learning techniques." WTF? Proven learning techiniques? what do they mean by that, the stupid techniques they use in school? Good for the games, then.
  
  Seriously, this sets my blood boiling.
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  0 thumbs!

  BANDITO ATTACK | January 18, 2008
  i been playing games since i was 4
  
  that being said, i cant even read a single page of a book without forgetting it all by the time i get to the next page.
  
  but my hand-eye coordination and reflexes are badass
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  0 thumbs!

  The Primagen | January 25, 2008
  Ok... NO.. thats bullshit. what a stupid bloody thing to do. Super Mario and Zelda gave me the incentive to learn how to read. I was on all sorts of drugs as a kid to keep me in check. the only thing that kept me sane was looking for those little flashing triangles and saving the princess.. I started at 2 or 3 and I cant see myself ever stopping.