Obama calls for research into violent games

U.S. President Barack Obama today called for government research into the effects violent video games may have on children. Obama's moves for tighter gun control regulations and renewed research were informed by Vice President Joe Biden's task force, which spoke with several game industry executives last week.

"Congress will fund research into the effects that violent video games have on young minds," President Obama said as part of his address, Polygon reports.

Obama asked Congress to allocate $10 million to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for this and other research into the relationship between "media images" and gun violence. The president also outlined other proposals, including a ban on "military style" assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, and required background checks for all firearms purchases--including those made privately and at gun shows.

"If there's even one thing we can do to reduce this violence, if there's even one life that can be saved, then we've got an obligation to try," Obama said.

Obama hopes to overturn Congressional measures that prohibit the CDC from using its funding "to advocate or promote gun control," which have persisted since the mid-1990s.