Parents most concerned about games

Conducted by What They Play, a parent's guide to video games, nearly 3,000 respondents in two separate polls concluded that drinking beer and watching pornography were less objectionable activities for children than playing certain video games. Further, viewing violence was more acceptable than seeing content involving sex and sexuality within games.

"These poll results demonstrate that parents are as apprehensive about their children's media diets as they are about traditional social issues such as alcohol, drugs, violence and sex," said John Davison, president of What They Like, the San Francisco company that runs What They Play. "When it comes to video games, parents should know that What They Play is a resource that helps demystify one of the most popular -- and challenging -- forms of entertainment their kids are into."

The results of the initial What They Play online poll, conducted April 4-10, 2008, found that the 1,266 participants were most offended by the following in a video game: a man and woman having sex (37 percent); two men kissing (27 percent); a graphically severed head (25 percent); and multiple use of the F-word (9 percent).

The second poll, which ran August 1-6, 2008, queried parents on what they'd be most concerned about their 17-year-old child indulging in while at a sleepover. More than 1,600 respondents revealed they're more apprehensive about their child smoking marijuana (49 percent) and playing the video game Grand Theft Auto (19 percent), than watching pornography (16 percent) and drinking beer (14 percent).