In the modern era of gaming, children’s addiction to online gaming is increasing day by day. Various studies have concluded that this addiction causes long-term harm to adolescent children. Surprisingly, some reports disclosed that various teen accidents were caused by online gaming addiction.
In response to this emerging situation, the Indian government announced a list of “dos and don’ts” to help parents deal with their children’s gaming habits. So, in this article, I will discuss more of the Indian government’s announced dos and don’ts for parents regarding children’s online gaming addiction.
The Indian Government Announced Do’s and Don’ts for Parents Regarding Children’s Online Gaming Addiction
As mentioned above, the Indian government is also concerned about youth addiction to online gaming. They found that every parent should consider some important things to overcome their children’s online gaming addiction. So, without wasting any time, let’s dive into the advisory that the Indian government shared publicly for overcoming children’s addiction to online gaming.
What to do
- Report it to us if a stranger tries to start a conversation about something inappropriate or requests personal information.
- Always check the age rating of any games your child is playing.
- In the case of bullying, encourage them not to respond and keep a record of the harassing messages. Report the behavior to the game site administrator, block, mute, or “unfriend” that person from their player list, or turn off the in-game chat function.
- Always play alongside your child to get a better sense of how they are handling their personal information and who they are communicating with.
- Help your child protect their privacy online by getting them to use a screen name (avatar) that does not reveal their real name.
- Use antivirus and spyware programs, and configure web browsers securely using a firewall.
- Activate parental controls and safety features on the device or in the app or browser, as it helps restrict access to certain content and limit spending on in-game purchases.
- Help your child understand that some features in online games are used to encourage more play and spending. Talk to them about gambling, what it is, and its consequences both online and in the physical world.
- While playing online games, if something goes wrong, stop immediately and take a screenshot.
- Always ensure that your child accesses the internet from a computer placed in the family.
What Not to Do
- Do not use credit or debit cards to register on apps for subscriptions. Place an upper limit on expenditure per transaction.
- Do not allow children to buy anything directly from the laptop or mobile phone they use for gaming.
- Advise them not to give personal information over the internet while downloading games.
- They should never share personal information with people in games or on gaming profiles.
- Do not allow in-game purchases without parental consent. To avoid in-app purchases, OTP-based payment methods may be adopted as per the RBI’s guidelines.
- Advise them not to communicate with strangers, including adults, through a webcam, private messaging, or online chat, as it increases the risk of contact from online abusers or bullying from other players.
- Advise children not to download software and games from unknown websites.
- Tell your children to beware of clicking links, images, and pop-ups on websites, as they may contain viruses and harm the computer, as well as contain age-inappropriate content.
- Advise them against playing games for long hours without taking a break, considering health aspects and addiction.
Hopefully, you now have accurate information about the Indian Government’s announced Do’s and Don’ts for Parents regarding Children’s Online Gaming Addiction. It’s also well known that a detailed advisory from the Indian government regarding online gaming addiction is available. If you have any questions, please share them with us in the comment section below.