Television is robbing children of their childhood. Moreover, it is destroying children's developing symbolic processes, and inhibiting their creativity and play. Television has remarkable influence over children's behavior. At this point, it is plausible to hypothesize linkages between television viewing and numerous social problems involving children and youth. Research suggests that movie and television violence increases racism, militarism, opposition to free political speech, opposition to foreign aid, and support for authoritarian rather than democratic forms of government. Research additionally shows that viewing cartoon violence increases aggression in children, increases verbal hostility, reduces sharing behavior, increases aggressive language, increases anger and intensity of violent responses, decreases enthusiasm for school, produces and increases anxiety, causes violence on the playground, maintains long-term aggression, produces false understandings of social realities, reduces charitable behavior toward others, increases negative play interactions, and reduces imaginative play. Numerous studies document harmful effects of playing with war toys. In 1985, war toys comprised 7 of the 10 top selling toy lines in America. Each of the seven lines were promoted by war cartoons. Eight new war cartoons are scheduled for introduction in 1986. Some efforts to counter these conditions have been effective. Additional efforts must educate parents about the consequences of their own viewing behavior and about the crucial importance of play for children's healthy development. (RH)