Kerala Announces Child-Friendly De Addiction Centres For Children Addicted To Online Games

Online games have shaken the world of many parents as their children are hooked to their screens. Multiplayer games such as Call of Duty, PUBG, etc. have become popular amongst young children. Since these games allow children to play online with their friends while interacting with them, it is highly addictive. The gaming addiction rose severely during the pandemic when children didn’t have much to do at home. Many parents reported that their children might be addicted. But is ‘de-addiction centres or taking these little kids to police stations is the right decision?

Agreed that gaming can be quite consuming and may affect the studies of kids but this doesn’t mean that playing games is a bad habit. While the whole world has recognized the advantages of playing games amongst young minds, India seems to be on a backfoot, shaming kids for playing games. Yes, everything should be done within a limit but that doesn’t mean that it should be prohibited. The Indian government, last year, banned a popular game PUBG without realizing that gaming could also become a profession for many kids. The Kerala government seems to be making the same mistake. Their hearts may be at the right place but instead of addressing the root cause of addiction or using games to educate children, they are treating it as an illness. It would have been better if the government decided to educate children about the adverse effects of pro-long gaming. That would’ve been more beneficial.