Nepal Bans PUBG on Account of Negative Impact on Children

[lexluthermiester]

Children don't have "personal liberties" because they don't have power of discernment. We have made plenty of laws that apply to children only because of that, starting with not selling tobacco or alcohol to them.

While I agree that children need structure and limitations, limiting access to something for a whole populous is excessive and inappropriate.

 

[Caring1]

If they are truly worried about negative impact on children, perhaps they should act like responsible adults and set a better example.

 

[64K]

It's a curious thing to me why video games get called out for violence when so many movies and TV series portray the same violence.

Anyway, I only allowed SNES and N64 games for my son but he also played GoldenEye 007. It didn't seem like a big deal. He grew up fine just like most other people.

I'm of the opinion that children severely affected by violence in video games probably have underlying mental issues that need to be addressed to begin with.

 

[HTC]

It's a curious thing to me why video games get called out for violence when so many movies and TV series portray the same violence.

Anyway, I only allowed SNES and N64 games for my son but he also played GoldenEye 007. It didn't seem like a big deal. He grew up fine just like most other people.

I'm of the opinion that children severely affected by violence in video games probably have underlying mental issues that need to be addressed to begin with.

It's the amount of violence portrait in whatever (video games, TV shows, real life, etc) that ends up changing what children see as "normal". Adults should not be affected to the same degree as children when exposed to violence unless they are affected with some sort of mental issues.

PUBG is just one of the more recent video games of the genre: why have Nepal banned this game but not others within the genre? Is this game over-the-top as far as violence is concerned? I haven't played it myself, so dunno.

 

[dorsetknob]

It's a curious thing to me why video games get called out for violence when so many movies and TV series portray the same violence.

Probably because with movie's and TV your the Voyeur and with Games your a Participant (virtual)

 

[64K]

Probably because with movie's and TV your the Voyeur and with Games your a Participant (virtual)

True.

 

[TheGuruStud]

Probably because with movie's and TV your the Voyeur and with Games your a Participant (virtual)

Or more concentrated wealth of the untouchables. Good luck bashing their entertainment empires. Bye bye advertising.

Also, boomers just won't die. They didn't have vidya games and neither should you!

 

[SoNic67]

While I agree that children need structure and limitations, limiting access to something for a whole populous is excessive and inappropriate.

I don't say it's perfect. But if technologically, in Nepal, you can't limit that to children only... it's up to the people living there to make the determination.

If they are truly worried about negative impact on children, perhaps they should act like responsible adults and set a better example.

I guess you don't have children or you are one yourself. You didn't see them having a mental breakdown because you took away their phone. You didn't see them being "bored" of anything in real life because it's not happening as fast as they can swipe the screens to the next meme.

I'm of the opinion that children severely affected by violence in video games probably have underlying mental issues that need to be addressed to begin with.

Or they just became like that because of them? Chicken and egg? Example: Regardless of why a guy is alcoholic, you still try to limit his access to drinks.

 

[Vayra86]

So if Prince Harry voiced the same idea, means that he must be Chinese too?

I am battling my own battle with gaming and "social media" addiction in my children, with no help from anyone. This is worse than drinking and smoking, affects their mental development. We have bans for selling those products to kids.
I welcome any country that helps it's parents to control this new addiction.

Done talking about China, let's get on topic

Can see where you're coming from with that, I have a daughter and when she gets of the age to start understanding these things, I'm sure there is a battle for me too. I hope I'll use a good approach for it. Can't predict it I think how that'll turn out.

But there are temptations in the lives of all kids (and adults...). I had them too, and they weren't that different either. Its still down entirely to good parenting, ban or not. Alcohol is a great example. The US tried banning alcohol once, that didn't really work out too well for them. And these bans are about as fruitless, most notably because with gaming its even harder to see the potential harm than with a thing like alcohol. Its a long term problem and the moment you ban one game or genre, a new one pops up and you'll always be following the music.

I believe much more in good parenting than I do in banning everything. Restrictions on age and access are fine in my book, bans are most certainly always counterproductive, especially when it comes to drink, drugs and entertainment. Much rather would I prefer good/responsible citizenship and parenting combined with a great degree of freedom AND age restrictions. It sends the right message: you can do what you please, but we set some boundaries with each other on the when and the how. I also believe that alongside that you should have a system of strong penalties for disobeying those restrictions.


Other question is why PUBG. Maybe because F2P so very low barrier of entry is certainly one aspect of it. But I think more so than the violent aspect, its the addiction it so easily supports. Its also about the psychological tricks employed in games to keep you playing. A bit similar to the lootbox/gambling or not-discussion. It most certainly has the same incentives gambling has.

 

[R-T-B]

Children don't have "personal liberties" because they don't have power of discernment.

This is a global ban that affects adults too though. Hence, moot point.

 

[NC37]

Laws like this have little to do with communism, and more in common with fascism really.

And facism is tied to socialism which is practically communism 2.0. Any system of government which gives the government too much power and puts it as a god, is from that same basic core belief. All like that are doomed to fail because government should never and can never fulfill that role without becoming tyrannical. Power corrupts and giving power to corrupted politicians is never going to end well. Better off returning to feudalism or adopting an autocratic empire at that point. Don't waste time with pretending to be a moral government or using the media to curb the masses to your will. Just go right to the conquering and the butchering. Where the fate of corrupted politicians is to either become nobles or to get exposed and publicly executed in the most brutal way possible.

 

[SoNic67]

This is a global ban that affects adults too though. Hence, moot point.

We, as society, do that all the time.
We limit the driving speed limit for everyone on the road to the lowest denominator, the least skilled drivers. We limit the age of buying drinks to 21 years (or 18 years), regardless of the person actual maturity level. Some countries ban everyone from owning personal guns/weapons, just because there might be some nutjobs. Heck in some countries you can't even own a pepper spray!

It's a balance between technology and costs for that specific society. Probably Nepal decided that instead of building a special system for the few adults that play that game, it's simpler and less costly for them just to ban it for everyone. They have the politicians listening to their constituents. Or not...

 

[R-T-B]

We, as society, do that all the time.

Yes, but in a society where we literally have means to filter these things digitally with things like filtering software, and even parenting, I don't see this as a good use case. It violates the rights of adults when other viable control alternatives exist.

And facism is tied to socialism which is practically communism 2.0.

They aren't tied together at all. In one you worship an individual in another you worship nothing (in theory, that barely if ever works, example see cults of Lenin and Stalin) and give everything to the "greater good."

Socialism is an entirely different animal and simply describes a state with a high level of social services, ie most of the EU.

But this isn't politics so I won't go on further about that.

They have the politicians listening to their constituents. Or not...

The issue is, in Nepal, it's likely being decided by the more authoritarian side of the government rather than genuine studies and/or civic interaction.

 

[SoNic67]

Yes, but in a society where we literally have means to filter these things digitally with things like filtering software, and even parenting,

You don't know the capabilities that Nepal has. It's much, much easier to filter this at national level. What would you propose? Some kind of digital ID that cannot be hacked by kids?

Also, parenting... it's hard when you have to work to pay the bills and don't have time to really be sitting in a chair behind your kid and be a watch dog for everything that your kid does online.
I can afford to pay yearly for something like Qustodio, but average Nepal family I'm sure it can't.

Related... maybe:
https://www.breitbart.com/faith/201...rns-students-of-addictions-to-cell-phone-use/

 

[R-T-B]

You don't know the capabilities that Nepal has.

Everyone has access to parenting.

it's hard when you have to work to pay the bills and don't have time to really be sitting in a chair behind your kid and be a watch dog for everything that your kid does online.

Then excercise physical access control.

 

[MrGenius]

You really need a qualifier before a statement like that...

Oh...it's pretty literal. After all, humans(and pretty much every other thing that lives) are "creatures of habit". Need I really say more. The term "addicted" can be applied to any "non-essential for life" thing you do. If somebody thinks you do it "too much". Which is really just an opinion anyway. In fact, IMO, the word "addict"(and/or its derivatives) is abused as much as(or more than) whatever the supposed "addict" is "abusing". That's the anarchist in me showing his head though. I don't believe anyone has the right to tell anyone else how to live their life. As long as it's not hurting you, or anyone else...it's not really any of your damn business.

"Who are you to tell me how to do my thing, that I know how to do better than anyone else?"

 

[Ruru]

Why PUBG? Fortnite should be banned since I consider that as a kids' game. PUBG is the real deal.

 

[lexluthermiester]

Also, parenting... it's hard when you have to work to pay the bills and don't have time to really be sitting in a chair behind your kid and be a watch dog for everything that your kid does online.

Then exercise physical access control.

Yup. Governments should never replace good parenting.

 

[SoNic67]

Then excercise physical access control.

Yup. Governments should never replace good parenting.

Haha I guess you are not parents yet.
This is not the 70's when you can whip your belt and start swinging. The "you are grounded, can't go out" doesn't work because kids don't get out of their rooms anyway, bikes are rusting in the sheds.
I even got to the point that, for punishments, I lock the phone in the safe, and I face the meltdown that follows, confronted with accusations of "this is child abuse". It's like living with an addict going "cold turkey".
Another little secret: Apple also doesn't collaborate with parental controls software, like Android and Windows, so that's why all the kids want iPhones... Sure they claim they do, but parents HAVE to have iPhones too, and their parental controls are laughable.

We have clinics for chemical addictions, but not for this new kind addiction. Other parents don't have the mental energy to do that on daily basis, they just gave up and this is interpreted as "freedom", like a meth addict being "free" to use as much meth as he wants. Parents are just not qualified to treat the addiction at the level that "social media" apps and games are designed to do damage. They have professional psychologists hired to design the maximum addiction into the games/apps.

A government ban is much easier to be dealt with, directs the anger towards somebody else. Personally, if I ban instagram, facebook, snapchat at WiFi level, I just find out that my family data plan gets used more . I would like to have the option to ban those at cell network level too, but that needs government help.
We, as a country, are raising a generation of addicts.

Blaming the parents for the drugs dealers bring daily in the schools and even inside the house is just stupid.

 

[R-T-B]

I mean, the arguement you are using could logically reverse every advancement of the tech revolution that is remotely engaging to youth.

I think I grew up fine in this era... I really don't see the harm, and even if there is harm, I cannot agree the protection of children completely trump the rights of adults. There has to be some level of expected control over your children no matter how stressful it may be.

And frankly, comparing a digital addiction to someone who is actually addicted to amphetamines is more than a bit over the top.

 

[SoNic67]

Of course you don't see the harm. Denial is the first stage.

 

[Deleted member 67555]

So if Prince Harry voiced the same idea, means that he must be Chinese too?

I am battling my own battle with gaming and "social media" addiction in my children, with no help from anyone. This is worse than drinking and smoking, affects their mental development. We have bans for selling those products to kids.
I welcome any country that helps it's parents to control this new addiction.

Social Media is nothing like gaming but does do brain damage like religion.
If you wanna do what's right for the kids keep them away from Religion and Social Media but by all means let them game.

 

[SoNic67]

Personally I let my kids play games, because they know they are just that... games. Every mammal plays games. But some games got so sophisticated in capturing our attention that there is no more time for OTHER games. At that point you became addicted.

Social media is a different animal. For them that's reality. An alternate reality.

 

[erixx]

Anglosaxon societies are great on Civil Rights. Gays, cats, irish, minorities, you know the adagio. BUT when money is involved they tend to vampirism, like those ole fuckers, the vikings. Nepalis ain't better, but , come on, they may differ!

 

[lexluthermiester]

Haha I guess you are not parents yet.

You guessed wrong. That is a very silly assumption. Hell I have grandchildren.

Of course you don't see the harm. Denial is the first stage.

You need to stop.

What the Nepal government has done solves nothing. It's the wrong solution for the problem at hand.