Xbox Live Too Dirty for Kids

Last night I was browsing the Xbox.com forums when I was looking for threads to post on I came across a rather unique thread. It describes this whole scenario where a teenager made an adult feel uncomfortable and they were warning parents to put parental settings on games like Call of Duty 4, Halo 3, and Gears of War. I thought this was rather comical. Here is the reasoning.

Ok well first of all when I'm on the Xbox I'm like every other teenage gamer from the ages of 15-21. I talk smack, talk a little dirty, and of course, make fun of the little kids. All that aside I'm not one to make fun of somebodies religion, race, gender, or anything like that. I'm saying this so you don't think I'm defending the people that do this.

The parent was suggesting that they turn on a whole bunch of security settings when they let their kids play these games. Now here is what I'm thinking. Call of Duty 4, rated "M" for mature, Halo 3, rated "M" for mature, and Gears of War, rated "M" for mature. This is your problem. The games not safe for your kids in the first place. I've played all of these games, and I know through many many hours of experience that these games can get pretty bad. I'm not talking so much about the game play, even though it's too much for them, but the talk of the players.

So you think it's our fault that your child may be getting harassed in these games and that Microsoft isn't doing enough to control this? That is total crap. These games were made for us, and Xbox Live will continue to cater towards their audience.

Another thing, you may be overreacting. If your boy is in 5th grade, it's not like he hasn't heard and used almost every single word they will hear on Xbox Live. Whether or not they speak like that around you is irrelevant.

Xbox Live wasn't made for eight year olds, that's why they have games like Mario, the Wii, and PSP's. Xbox Live will forever be made for an audience made up of primarily teenagers. If you choose to let your child play on Xbox Live you will continue to expose them to adult language and actions.