So why, you may be thinking, does this game affect me as a parent? Because not only is it easily downloadable on any smart phone or tablet, its advertisements are imbedded in other popular apps such as Pinterest, allowing your son or daughter to be exposed to a game where they are encouraged to explore totally inappropriate and sometimes graphic situations involving drinking, partying, and sexuality. The Choices app is heavy-handed with sexual trysts and relationships of all kinds, and players are often encouraged by other characters in the game to choose bad behavior – meanness, drinking, promiscuity – over morally sound choices. Frighteningly enough, I changed the settings on my App Store to find games specifically appropriate for ages 9-11, and the Choices app did indeed make it through that filter!
Moms, watch this quick clip if you can stomach it about one of the scenes from the “Freshman Book 4 – chapter 5” in the Choices app game. It gets super sexual between two women at the 17 minute mark. This is what our teens are playing and it is every bit as bad as “soft core porn” and super sexual “romance” novels. This is NOT a game that will lead to healthy sexual relationships, habits, or choices for our kids. These games arouse just like porn does and the fantasy situations here will put impossible expectations on a real life, healthy, actual relationship.
Ironically, the creator of the game, Pixelberry Studios, includes a mission statement on the homepage of their website stating that they aim “to entertain and educate players via games.” The creators go on to say “We’re a small team, but we try hard to do the right thing. We’re excited to be making a difference through our games.” Though I am unsure what difference they are striving to make, it is abundantly clear that they are NOT “doing the right thing” for the youth they are exposing this game to. To voice your concern, click here to contact Pixelberry Studios to implore the makers of this game to – if they really do wish to educate – help educate our children to make smart choices, rather than dangerous, amoral, and downright poor ones.
Blocking this app
- Select “settings” on your child’s home screen
- select “general”
- select “restrictions”
- select “enable restrictions”
- choose a passcode
This passcode will need to be entered before your child can access or change any restricted areas on his or her device. This includes the app store! You can block all apps from being downloaded, and when your child approaches you wanting to download a particular app, you’ll have the opportunity to explore it for yourself first before it can be downloaded. (Handily, this feature also allows parents to block the ability to open any existing apps, so if you want to limit your child’s ability to go on Facebook, Instagram, and the like this is a great way to do it!) Android devices unfortunately are not able to block free apps from being installed, however there are apps parents can download (such as AppLock) to prevent certain apps from being accessed.
If you would like further research on this game, you can read a few parents’ comments on their experiences with Choices through the Common Sense Media review here. Though many are complaining about the expense (apparently it can cost big bucks to take your “choices” to the next level), there are plenty who are concerned with the mature content available as well.
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An earlier version of this article by Rachel Rose originally appeared at Counter Culture Mom.
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