Games and sports are an important part of childhood
encompassing entertainment, education and social activity. With the emergence
of new technologies in this digital era and the engagement with video gaming,
it has now become an area of debate and concern as how it is affecting the
children. Although games can improve cognitive capabilities and bring fun, they
have many negative aspects; like becoming addicted to games, wastage of time,
having interactions with cybercriminals, or experiencing social and physical
health problems. This article focuses on such impacts of video games on
children, cybercrime issues related to it and ways to address these issues. We
will also look into some of the case studies to further illustrate these
concerns and explore the role of parents and governments to minimize the
negative impacts of video games on Kids.
The Impact of Video Games on Kids
Games and Sports not only provide entertainment but is a
critical component that it is essential for a child’s health and growth. Games
can be of benefit by enhancing the players’ abilities to think and improve the
skills through coordination. Video Games such as “Minecraft” and “Portal” are
rather challenging in that they allow the players to develop critical thinking
skills and thinking outside the box. Some video games like Fortnite and Among
Us encourage players to work in group and share their ideas among themselves.
Notifications on devices such as iPad can encourage kids to learn with the help
of “ABCmouse” kind of games or help to learn about different culture or history
with “AssAssin’s Creed” kind of games.
But when talking about video games, not all the effects are
considered to be positive. This can cause gaming addiction, poor time
management, speech problems, social disconnect, difficulty in handling real
life problems, failure to perform well in studies and sevear health issues like
developing poor body posture, obesity, weakness of eye site and many more.
Video Games like ‘Grand Theft Auto’ and ‘PUBG’ contain violent content and
research reveals that certain kids will develop aggressive behaviour as a
result of playing such games.
Cyber Crime Issues in the Gaming Industry
The video gaming industry has been on the forefront as far
as cybercrimes are concerned and this poses huge risks to the children of all
age groups. Another prevailing issue is the protection of children from
becoming victims of sex offenders, who often operate through the internet. Some
of the multiplayer games offer the predators an opportunity to interact with
children for the purpose of manipulating them. For example, in 2018, a man from
the United Kingdom was found guilty of employing ‘Fortnite’ to entice children
into sharing their usernames so that he could buy virtual currency and
subsequently commit severe crimes.
Cyber bullying is another common problem which refers
to the act of threatening others over the internet. The anonymity of Internet
makes it possible to harass and even bully someone during an online game.
According to some studies, the children have reported to become victims of
cyber bullying when engaged in game play at more than 70%. This type of
bullying may cause the victim child significant psychological and emotional
trauma and development of other mental health issues.
Data privacy is also an important issue. Many gaming platforms tend to take your personal details to create an account with them, that gives hackers full access to your details. Another risk is financial loss through unauthorized purchases like those made with the parent’s card. For instance, parents have complained of large transactions on their credit card resulting from purchases made by their children, while playing the games.
The Role of Parents
The parents have the central role in controlling the effects
of video games on their kids. This means that parents should be fully engaged
in gaming activities that involve their children in order to prevent or counter
risks that may be associated with the same.
- Setting
Limits on Gaming Time: It is crucial for parents to set time limits
and require children not to exceed that time playing video games. Limiting
screen time and applying strict rules that limit the usage and taking
breaks can also be of benefit.
- Monitoring
and Supervising: Parents should keep checking the kind of games their
children play and also should keep monitoring them on the internet to
avoid any bad contact that they get. Some additional protection can be
gained by using the parental control options available from gaming
platforms.
- Educating
Children: It is quite important to enlighten children on aspects such
as risks associated with partnering with online gaming and issues of
privacy. Educating them about appropriate and safe behavior within the
online gaming horizon and how to identify/avoid bad behaving individuals
and reporting them can help them not to be so vulnerable.
- Updating
Security Measures: Regular software updates of the games and devices
to get the latest security patches can prevent cyber threats. Parents
should also ensure that endpoint security software is installed on the
gadgets tht will help them protect these devices.
- Engaging
with Children: Show an interest in the games that kids are currently
playing and playing with them as it can let you know the experiences they
go through. This engagement also assists parents to better manage content
and interactions within the platform.
- Encouraging
Other Activities: Children should be offered other activities
including physical games, sports activities, adopting some hobbies and
participating in social events, in order to achieve balance in life.
- Providing
Support: It is very important to listen to children and provide them
assistance and directions on the issues that children come across while
playing video games in order to ensure that the children’s game playing
experience is positive.
The Role of Government
The government also has a responsibility in controlling
problems arising from video games and cybercrime.
- Developing
& Implementing Laws: Governments can develop and enforce
appropriate laws that will ensure that the video game developing companies
has implemented proper security and privacy measures.
- Promoting
Awareness: Various campaigns can be launched to increase public
awareness about the possible dangers of online video gaming. Such type of
campaigns will be useful for parents, children and educators.
- Supporting
Research: Providing funds and support for research on the effects of
video games and cybercrime could help to understand the latest situation
and the risks that the children are facing. This will help the government
in devising appropriate solutions to solve the problem.
Conclusion
Influence of video games on children cannot be undermined as
it has both advantages as well as disadvantage. The positive side is they may
help in improving cognitive functions however, there are the problems like
addiction, health issues, personality issues, exposure to cybercrime and
isolation. To address these challenges, there is a need that parents, teachers,
government and other stakeholders work together hand in hand.
Some possible measures are limiting the time and games played, overseeing the activities, sensitizing children and incorporating strong security measures. Parents are the key stakeholders who can regulate the gaming experiences of their children while governments can assist through laws, regulation, promoting awareness and funding research. Thus, together, we can create a safe and productive environment that can pose positive effects of video games while reducing the risks.