Delhi government body declares PUBG and other video games 'harmful' for kids

PlayerUnknown’s BattleGrounds (PUBG) continues to remain in news and this time the news isn't pleasant. Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights (DCPCR) has declared PUBG and other online games as harmful for kids.

Over the last few months, PUBG and other games like Fortnite have got bad press for their adverse effects on children due to excessive gameplay.

The DCPCR has sent a notice to all schools in Delhi stating games like PUBG, Fortnite, Pokemon Go, Hitman, God of War among others are harmful. The note further reads that these games have an adverse effect on the brain of children. Although other games have been mentioned, PUBG has been in the spotlight recently.

"These games are full of misogyny, hate, deceit and vengeance and at an age where a child learns from that he or she sees, it may negatively impact their brain for their life," the note issued by DCPCR stated.

The notice does not mention how the game is causing harm to children and only indicates the conventional thinking that online games are harmful.

Recently, a boy in Mumbai committed suicide after his parents refused to buy him a phone worth Rs 37,000 for playing PUBG. Instead, the parents offered him a phone worth Rs 20,000, that he refused as he wanted an expensive phone for a better gaming experience.

Last month, a minister from Gujarat wrote to the HRD ministry and requested them to ban the game for the same reasons. The minister in his letter mentioned about a youth from Jammu and Kashmir committing suicide as he was not allowed to play the game. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi too spoke about the game when a Class 9 student’s mother asked Modi on what steps should she take to stop her son from playing excessive online games.

Modi, referring to the game stated that technology has both, positives and negatives. He insisted that parents must guide their children to get the most from technology that would encourage them to shift from PlayStation to the playground.