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Alan Wilson’s Priorities: Online Games vs. Firearms—The Stark Reality for South Carolina’s Children

Byline: James Seidel, Crime and Cask News Network

Columbia, S.C.— South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson has launched a crusade against the perceived dangers of video games and social media, urging Congress to pass the bipartisan Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA). The proposed legislation seeks to protect minors from online harm by addressing the mental health crisis linked to excessive social media use. Yet, in a state where firearms are the leading cause of death among children aged 1 to 17, critics question whether Wilson’s priorities are aligned with the most pressing threats to South Carolina’s youth.

The Leading Cause of Death for Kids in SC: Firearms

The statistics paint a grim picture. According to the South Carolina Committee on Children, firearm injuries have been the number one killer of children in the state for three consecutive years—2020, 2021, and 2022. In 2022 alone:

52 children were killed in firearm-related homicides.
14 children died by suicide involving firearms.

These staggering numbers eclipse the national trend, where unintentional injuries like motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of death among children. In South Carolina, the reality is stark: guns kill more children than any other factor. Not video games or social media.

Efforts to combat this epidemic have included community-based programs, gun safety education, and legislative initiatives aimed at restricting firearm access to minors. Yet, these measures have faced political resistance and remain underfunded compared to Wilson’s focus on digital dangers.

The Disconnect: Video and Online Games vs. Guns

Wilson’s campaign against video games and social media comes with dramatic warnings about addiction and mental health crises. He has joined 31 other attorneys general in urging Congress to address what he calls “unscrupulous practices” by platforms like TikTok, which he accuses of “knowingly addicting children to their platform.”

However, when asked how many children in South Carolina have been directly killed by video games, the answer is zero. Tragic incidents involving children playing video games—like the 2023 case of a Beaufort County boy fatally shot while gaming—were caused by gun violence, not the games themselves. Similarly, the so-called “Choking Game” has no direct link to video gaming but rather to risky behaviors that demand better parental guidance and education.

A Misplaced Focus

Critics argue that Wilson’s focus on online safety is a distraction from the more immediate and deadly crisis of gun violence affecting South Carolina’s children. Advocacy groups and public health experts point to glaring gaps in the state’s approach to firearms:

Lax Gun Laws: South Carolina recently passed constitutional carry laws, allowing individuals to carry firearms without a permit, increasing the likelihood of firearm access for minors.
Lack of Safe Storage Laws: Unlike many states, South Carolina has no universal safe storage law, leaving children at greater risk of accessing unsecured guns.

Meanwhile, Wilson’s emphasis on regulating algorithms and banning addictive gaming practices has garnered significant media attention but fails to address the root cause of the leading deaths among South Carolina children.

The Human Cost of Inaction

Efforts to address firearm deaths in South Carolina remain fragmented. Community-based initiatives and advocacy for safe storage laws have made progress, but they lack the urgency and political capital being directed at video game and social media regulation. Families grieving the loss of children to gun violence are left asking why their tragedies aren’t receiving the same attention.

“Alan Wilson wants to protect children from imaginary dangers in video games, but what about the very real guns that are killing our kids?” asked one Charleston mother who lost her son to a stray bullet. “I wish he would fight as hard for gun safety as he does for banning TikTok.”

The Path Forward

To truly protect children, South Carolina must tackle the leading cause of their deaths: firearms. This means:

Implementing safe storage laws to prevent minors from accessing guns.
Expanding gun safety education in schools and communities.
Advocating for policies that restrict firearms in households with children.

While addressing online safety is important, prioritizing the leading cause of child fatalities should take precedence. In South Carolina, that cause is unequivocally firearms, not video games.

CC News Network, 2024®

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