Online Games: fun or a matter of worries

The COVID-19 pandemic has reshaped the world by diverting people from physical interaction to online activities. Now people prefer online shopping and e-education, likewise, youngsters are indulging more in online gaming instead of outdoor activities. The latest Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games (MMORPGs) are gaining popularity due to intensive social interaction through video, voice, text, etc., and are being considered as a source of entertainment, establishing virtual communities to interact with others in accomplishing common tasks, etc.  However, besides being a source of entertainment and fun, it has some negative impacts for which every guardian needs to be updated about the pros and cons of online gaming so as to better tackle the situation to protect our future generation.

In Pakistan, multiple incidents of suicides by teenagers, and killing others in aggression by online gamers have been reported in the media. The issue of violence and anti-social behavior arises due to excessive online game playing, as different researchers have concluded. Mr. Arthur Cassidy, an associate fellow of the British Psychological Society, says that growing attachment to gaming devices among children leads to suicide or self-harm. Many other research studies have shown that children’s excessive involvement in online gaming deprives them of physical activities; therefore, they face problems like isolation, introversion, misbehaving with other family members, sleeping disorders, anxiety, depression, etc.

Online gaming addiction mainly occurs due to less attention from parents. Kids who suffer loneliness get instant relief by playing online games. It takes them away from reality to a fantasy and imaginary world where everything seems to be controlled by their thoughts and imagination. Resultantly, they get frustrated which leads them to violence self-harm, and even suicidal thoughts. Besides, chances of getting blackmailed, being bullied by others (both offline and online), and having personal information stolen also increase while playing online games with online predators.

Online activities certainly have the potential to improve children’s activity engagement because of their greater accessibility and opportunities for learning and use in context. That is why, instead of depriving children of its benefits, parents need to be extremely conscious of their kids’ online activities by opting for the following workable measures:

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• Always spare time for your kids and get involved in their social activities.
• Prove yourself as a best friend so that kids may inform you promptly in case they encounter any online danger.
• Always encourage and arrange physical activities for your kids, prefer schools with facilities for outdoor activities.
• Keep watch on your kids’ friends, especially their, activities and behaviors, etc.
• Alert your children to never add strangers to their friend list. This is a simple and safe way to positively live in the online world.
• Before purchasing online games, parents need to check the rating of the games from the concerned department, like the ESRB (Entertainment Software Rating Board), and then accordingly select age and content-appropriate games for kids.
• Initially, parents should also play online games with their children so as to understand the content of the game as well as the reaction of the children while playing the game.
• For a better eye on kids’ online activities, computers should be placed in common areas, avoiding laptops and smartphones in their bedrooms.
• Instead of giving a new mobile on a permanent basis to your kids, it is better to give them your own mobile solely for that particular purpose on a temporary basis. This will ensure a direct check on their activities.
• Teach your kids not to share personal information like passwords, bank information, and pictures with anyone else.
• While using gadgets, children should ensure not to use technology to hurt anyone else through bullying or gossip.
• Learn and implement parental control features in the apps to implement time limits, website restrictions, and safe content for kid

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