Obama calls on Congress to fund games research

US President Barack Obama has signed an executive order tasking the CDC to research the causes of gun violence, and called for congress to fund its own study of violent media and games.

"We don’t benefit from ignorance. We don’t benefit from not knowing the science of this epidemic of violence.” said Obama, as reported by Venture Beat.

“Congress should fund research into the effects violent video games have on young minds.”

This follows weeks of study by Vice President Joe Biden on how best to prevent future mass shootings like the one in Newtown, Connecticut.

While Biden’s report to the White House made no mention of video games, the Vice President had cautioned game makers to change their image.

Attendees of the meeting between Biden and industry representatives said the vast majority were in favor new research into the relationship between violent games and actual violence.

While none of Obama’s 23 executive orders directed at fighting gun violence mention games explicitly, one does call for research into the causes of violence.

“Issue a Presidential Memorandum directing the Centers for Disease Control to research the causes and prevention of gun violence,” reads the executive order.

The president asked congress to set aside $10 million for research into the effects of violent media.

In the 2011 Supreme Court ruling Schwarzenegger vs EMA gave games full protection under the first Amendment, so video games are safe from direct legislation barring a constitutional amendment.

Last year the President ordered another study into the positive effects of games for education, health, civic engagement, and the environment.

Times have changed though, and with multiple bills floating around seeking to either blame or tax violent games, it seems the industry is bound for the troubled waters of Washington politics once again.