There's no doubt that MMOs have changed the face of online gaming as we know it today. The immense success of World of Warcraft demonstrates this and the game has often been the target of studies surrounding people and online gaming. Interestingly, claims about the dangers of online gaming addiction are spreading even further, with an FCC Commissioner making the bold claim that MMOs, and WoW in particular, have increased the college drop-out rate in the U.S.
We all see many sensationalist claims being made about games, and we all probably remember the sometimes-amusing antics of Jack Thompson. It's rather perplexing, however, to have someone in such a high position make these claims. If there is any evidence to back up the claims that the FCC Commissioner made, they weren't cited - and you can certainly expect some outcry from the gaming community regarding this.
This could lead to interesting battles between educators, gamers and gaming companies. Should the FCC even be making any assertions regarding people's computer use? I would very much like to see a Blizzard response to these statements.