'Candy crush na lang': DILG backs ban on all violent online games
photo: CICC
How about a total ban of all violent video games on the internet?
Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Jonvic Remulla said the proposal is worth considering following a report that one of the shooters in Tacloban City high school was addicted to an online game.
That online game was GoreBox, which the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center described as an open-ended sandbox game featuring weapons, environments, and physics systems that allow users to create or destroy scenarios.
The CICC temporarily blocked access to Gorebox in the country and the DILG said this could be replicated to other online violent games accessible to children.
“Games espousing violence like Gorebox should be permanently banned in the Philippines. These desensitize young people into the elements of death, elements of violence, and elements of murder,” said Remulla.
Remulla then urged the Congress and relevant government agencies to study possible measures, including a potential ban on all violent online games, pointing out possible harmful effects of repeated exposure to violent content in gaming.
The school violence in Tacloban has intensified discussions on potential influences and risk factors affecting young people, including exposure to violent digital content.
On the part of Remulla, he said violent video games may influence the behavioral development of the youth.
He emphasized that government intervention should be explored to address the issue, “Congress should also study the matter.”