The US government is again looking into the possible links between video games and gun violence, sparked by comments from Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the Secretary of Health and Human Services. He remarked that while many factors might explain the high rates of gun violence in America, he doesn’t believe that firearms are to blame.

Kennedy pointed out how violence appeared to surge in the 1990s, asking, “We had many guns as kids before, but we never saw this level of violence.”

> “We had gun clubs at my school. Kids would bring guns and it was encouraged, and none of us were killing each other.”

He mentioned that other influences, such as psychiatric medication, social media, and gaming might need scrutiny. “We’re beginning studies to examine the correlation between the over-prescription of medications for children and these violent episodes, among other factors,” Kennedy noted.

This reexamination of the ties between gaming and violence is not new; previous studies did not find notable evidence linking gaming to real-world violence. Yet claims about video games have emerged often in political discussions, with past administrations—both Democratic and Republican—addressing the issue in debates over gun violence.

Kennedy acknowledges that mass shootings occur much more frequently in the US compared to countries with similar gun ownership, such as Switzerland, raising questions about the root causes of such violence.

For further insight, see the Make Our Children Healthy Again report.