Introduction
The media is increasingly featuring content full of violence, including intimidation and the use of physical force. Different forms of media, including video games, movies, news, and films, are presently orchestrated to feature actions used to hurt, damage, or kill other people or animals. The presence of such content is detrimental to society, especially to young people. Although evidence shows an association between media violence and mental health or antisocial disorders, censorship is not a solution as it is unethical and infringes on constitutional rights.
Discussion
Violence should not be censored in media because people have freedom of expression. Independent media is important to ensure that citizens get informed about everything happening in society, whether good or evil (Jamil, 2019). Besides, violent behavior exists in real life and not just in the media. If there is censorship, people will still witness aggressive behavior through such things as domestic violence, club fights, police brutality, and war, among others. The implication is that stopping the showcase of violent media will not make people peaceful.
Indeed, violence in the media can negatively affect the health of individuals, especially children and youths whose brain is still developing. For instance, research findings indicate a positive correlation between exposure to violence and well-being risks such as aggression, fear, bullying, nightmares, and sleep disturbances both in the short and long term (Al-Ali et al., 2018). The implication is that it is crucial to ensure that young people have parental guidance while viewing media.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the presentation of violent content in the media has some negative implications for its viewers, especially those still young. However, censorship is not the solution to such violence as it limits freedom of expression. Content creators and gamers should be allowed to make any content they wish without censorship. It is the responsibility of parents to guide their young ones in media consumption. Thus, the constitution is upheld, and the children and youth are protected from the negative impact on their mental health.
References
Al-Ali, N. M., Yaghy, H. S., Shattnawi, K. K., & Al-Shdayfat, N. M. (2018). Parents’ knowledge and beliefs about the impact of exposure to media violence on children’s aggression. Issues in Mental Health Nursing, 39(7), 592-599. Web.
Jamil, S. (2019). Handbook of research on combating threats to media freedom and journalist safety. IGI Global.