* A problem for their media image. Presumably added an element of stickiness to the game that wasn't too bad on the bottom line. Also, a pun!
http://dir.salon.com/story/tech/feature/2003/12/12/sims_onli...
Extremes aside though, that 14 year old GM is probably spending a fairly significant amount of time in the game. No doubt there's plenty to learn in an MMO social environment, but there's also plenty to learn in any team environment like sports.
There's also quite a bit of evidence that MMOs are addictive. Since most are based on an achievement system, they give the player a sense of accomplishment but also means time spent away from the game is time the character isn't progressing.
It comes down to moderation and supervision. If video games become the babysitter because you believe it's a safe learning environment for them to spend hours on end, then you're fooling yourself.
Pretty much anything is unhealthy when unmoderated, whether it's involvement in video games or sports.
The phrase tank an instance for daddy makes me think daddy has an online gaming addiction and rather than adapt his habits for the sake of his kids, he's involving his kids in gaming to feed his own habit. That may be a little harsh, but it didn't sound great to me.
Holy crap can I offer some counterexamples. Some of which would skirt the boundaries of work-safety, such as the 14-year-old raid GM on Earthen Ring who reportedly made women engage in cyber-sex with him in exchange for privileges. Not at all limited to his own age group; the internet is good at effacing such distinctions.
I agree that many teenagers can handle responsibility sooner than western culture currently assumes -- but there must be oversight and consequences even then. The highest levels of MMO gameplay/politics, on the other hand, are pure Lord of the Flies territory.