FCC Commissioner Says WoW a Top Reason for College Dropouts

Federal Communications Commissioner Deborah Taylor Tate has attributed Blizzard Entertainment's World of Warcraft, and similar online videogames, as a leading cause behind college dropouts.

According to Gamepolitics.com, while addressing the Practicing Law Institute on telecom policy and regulation, Tate said, "With the explosion of educational resources available online, one might think parents would be 100% pleased with the internet's role in their children's lives. But surveys show just the opposite: a late 2006 survey that showed 59% of parents think the internet has been a totally positive influence in their children's lives-- down from 67% in 2004." The FCC commissioner added, "You might find it alarming that one of the top reasons for college drop-outs in the U.S. is online gaming addiction, such as World of Warcraft, which is played by 11 million individuals worldwide."

Tate did not, however, provide any specific scientific data to bolster her claim. Regardless, World of Warcraft's gameplay does have an addictive reputation. Many gamers have even paralleled the addiction to crack cocaine. According to Blizzard, Wrath of the Lich King, World of Warcraft's recently released expansion, is currently the fastest-selling PC game of all time.

http://uk.pc.ign.com/articles/937/937757p1.html