Watch for secretive behaviour, tendency to switch screens: govt advisory on online gaming among children

The advisory, issued by the Ministry of Education, came days after Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu asked the Centre to take note of BJP MP Sushil Kumar Modi’s observation in the floor of the House that the government should regulate the sector to prevent gaming addiction among children.

Noting that playing online games leads to a serious gaming addiction which has been considered as a “gaming disorder”, the advisory also puts gaming companies in the dock, saying they “emotionally compel the child to buy more levels and almost force in-app purchases.”

It lists a number of do’s and don’ts for parents and teachers. Moreover, it also recommends that companies should not allow online game related purchases without “parental consent”.

“To avoid in-app purchases; OTP based payment methods may be adopted as per RBI’s guidelines. Avoid credit/debit cards registration on apps for subscriptions. Place an upper limit on expenditure per transaction,” it says.

The advisory suggests that parents should look out for unusually secretive behaviour of children related to their online activity, any sudden increase in the time they spend online, especially social media, and tendency to switch screens on their device when approached.

“Help your child understand that some features in online games are used to encourage more play and spending. Talk to them about gambling, what it is and its consequences both online and in the physical world,” it adds.
The Centre said that teachers have been asked to ensure that the advisory is publicised well to help make children understand the mental and physical stress that gaming can trigger. It pointed out that most online games are designed in a way that each level is more complicated and complex than the previous one.
“This causes a player to push themselves to the limit in order to progress in the game. Therefore, playing online games with no restriction and self-limits leads many players to become addicted and are eventually diagnosed with gaming disorder,” it says.

Online gaming box

Dos

– Take screenshot and report untoward incident.

– Use screen name, not real name.

– Use antivirus, firewall.

– Activate parental controls to restrict content, spending

Don’ts

– Don’t click pop-ups.
— Don’t reveal personal information to others

– Don’t speak to strangers through webcam, chat or other means