Live video games and terrible language

If you don't believe Halo 3 -- the video game has captured the world -- the game will tell you. Dots on the screen show who's playing and where -- and at any given time there at least hundreds of thousands playing -- often against each other.

Among those who play is my own son, Tyler.

“I just play with random people around the world.”

And Nicholas Barber -- a manager at the Roanoke Best Buy -- one of the beta testers for video games -- He plays them before the public can buy them.

“In the past, I've had XBOX I've had XBOX 360, PS 3 Sega Saturn, I mean I've played every game console known to man,” he said.

Video games have come a long way. It used to be you just used the controller to play against the game. Now you've got a headset. And you're talking to the whole world -- and listening to them.

The premise of Halo is basic. You are the shooter, trying to kill aliens. In the live version you don the headset and sign in. The game recognizes your skill level and in moments teams you with other players from who knows where.

“Occasionally someone will come in with like Spanish, French or some form of Asian language,” Tyler said.

But that's not the language issue parents should be concerned about.

Standing in front of a game consol Barber gives us the low down. “Swearing. All the seven deadly words, and just about everything you can think of -- I've heard come out of young childrens' mouths.”

So we put it to the test, placing a microphone in Tyler's headset. The conversation was x-rated from the first shot.

"Holy S*** Suck A**. He's Terrible. If you're that bad, you should quit
"Yeah! I'm F****** dead b/c their sniper sniped me -teammate says "no its b/c you F***** Suck"
"F*** You Joe, he was a Captain grade 3

In another clip, clearly a young child was among the players. His language as bad as thiers.

Said Barber, “I've seen as young as 7 -- maybe younger on XBOX live. Maybe younger. Seven? Yeah. Some of them are pretty bad, just like wow.”

Carlin: “What's the reaction when there's a kid in the game?”
Tyler: “A lot of people cuss them out...”

And the kids aren't just hearing the bad talk -- they're speaking it. Racial slurs and homophobic comments as well.

“Just a lot of times they'll say -- Oh you're gay. You're being gay stop doing that,” said Barber.

If the shocking language has you re-thinking your kids activities -- here's some 10 on your side information.

You can't go live until you get one of the cards. Each looks like plastic gift card and each one buys you a certain number of months of game-play.

If you don't buy a "live" game card, you can't get on "line" meaning your kids will just play against the computer. You can also take away the ether net cable so the game can't be connected to the internet... Or leave it connected and... “just turn the headset off. Turn off all communications so they can't actually hear team speak or anything.”

And of my own son?

We’ve already discussed much stricter rules for the XBOX.

Some churches and other groups have formed “clans” where players within the clan compete with one another and agree not to use foul language. If any is heard, you’re out. Here’s a link to one clan’s rules.