Grand Theft Auto is trending on Twitter again, but not because GTA 6 has been announced, but because of an Australian politician and his comments about the Rockstar Games‘ series. Since the release of GTA 5 and GTA Online, politicians across the world have had a ton to say about the pair of experiences and the series as a whole. Just last month, one Illinois politician proposed a bill that would remove GTA 5 from sale if it passed. This time it’s Peter Dutton, an Australian Liberal Party politician and the Minister of Home Affairs, who linked the series to toxic behavior during a morning television interview.
During the interview, Button made note of the issues women face and the horrific stories he’s heard that involve teenage boys specifically.
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“As a father of a 19-year-old daughter and teenage boys, it horrifies me the stories you hear,” said Dutton. “And it’s not uncommon… young girls, hand up a skirt, on a breast, etc, it’s completely unacceptable behavior. For teenage boys, it’s incumbent on parents, first and foremost, to make sure that we are teaching them the right values and the respect they need to have towards women.”
Adding to this, Dutton brings up social media such as TikTok, and the “content on there that is unfiltered and going into the minds of young impressionable boys and girls.”
At this point in the interview, Dutton name drops Grand Theft Auto, linking it, like social media, to the aforementioned toxic behavior.
“If you’re playing Grand Theft Auto as a 13-year-old boy, and lots of teenage boys will do… in that game, not just, you know, drive cars recklessly, you can go for a lap dance, you can go and shoot police… and so we need to have a broader conversation about the influences on these young boys, both in a family setting and a societal setting, and in particular, online.”
Dutton’s Take
Here’s the footage:
— Media Watch (@ABCmediawatch) March 26, 2021
“If you’re playing Grand Theft Auto, as a 13 year old boy … in that game, not just, you know, drive cars recklessly, you can go for a lap dance, you can go and shoot police …” #MediaWatch pic.twitter.com/rfIIS35LyG
For now, this is all Dutton had to say about Grand Theft Auto and the negative impact he believes it’s having on the youth. However, it sounds like this may just be the start of a much larger conversation the politician is aiming to create. That said, and as you may know, politicians have been talking about Grand Theft Auto and video games in a negative light for years, and so far, nothing very consequential has come of these conversations.
As always, we will be sure to update this story when and if more information is provided by Dutton or any other relevant party. In the meantime, feel free to leave a comment letting us know what you think or, alternatively, hit me up on Twitter @Tyler_Fischer_ and let me know over there. Should GTA and games like it be banned?
