Ghaziabad triple suicide — three teenage girls jumped off a high-rise over a Korean task-based video game on Wednesday — has sparked a discourse over the risks associated with online gaming, an activity Kolkata teenagers are not alien to.
For parents, the situation comes as a complex challenge, where they are caught between the idea of gentle parenting and ensuring safety of their children at a time when Gen Z and Gen Alpha spend a majority of their free hours online.
For Sucharita Sarkar, a Behala home maker, dealing with her 15-year-old son’s irritability in the absence of mobile phones or other gadgets is a growing concern.
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“My son is 15. Last year, he was addicted to games and we had a hard time trying to rid him of that addiction. There were many many quarrels, though he never asked for money,” Sarkar said.
“Games often change a child's behaviour as they get too absorbed in it and when asked to do other things they feel enraged. They are irritated even if the internet acts up and they can't play smoothly,” she added.
Some children even shout and throw things around the room when they are stopped from playing games, Sucharita said.
Sanjana Chakraborty, a Southern Avenue-based education counselor, feels online gaming has adversely affected her son’s ability to concentrate.
“He doesn’t get any pocket money for games, but I was surprised when his friend gave him a Roblox coin scratch card worth Rs 500 on his birthday. I didn't allow him to use it though. I made him return it,” said Chakraborty.
“For him it is a challenge to keep his focus on studies and whatever he does. He has become extremely lazy and only one thing he likes to do is play mobile games and scroll reels,” she added.
Games like Roblox are open-access games which can be designed by programmers from all around the world. The concern on such platforms is not just addiction — it is also the fear of online predators, both sexual and otherwise.
Mou Paul Chowdhury, a south Kolkata-based working professional, has a tough time ensuring her son wakes up on time for school. She blames online games for his poor and rapidly worsening sleep cycle.
“He (her 15-year-old son) wakes up at 12pm, often skips school, and stays awake till 3am playing online games. Any moderation, or even banning of phones makes him violent,” said Chowdhury.
But blaming the child or being stern isn’t the solution, say psychiatrists.
Dr Aniruddha Deb, Senior Psychiatrist at Crystal Minds
It is now almost impossible to stay in a tech-devoid space, notes Dr Aniruddha Deb, child-psychiatrist, Crystal Minds Ballygunge. “You have to moderate how much access you provide to online games, or internet access for that matter. You cannot arbitrarily dictate rules to a child.”
He adds, “If a child has a screen-time of 18 hours, they cannot cope with no access at all from the very next day. The best solution comes from conversation; an open and honest conversation. Complete prohibition is wrong. Moderation is the key.”
The Korean game that allegedly was responsible for the mishap, is reminiscent of games like Blue Whale which surfaced in 2017, and Momo in 2018.
Both these games were task-based and encouraged the user to cause bodily harm to themselves. These games are not games per say, but a symbiotic dictation on the lives of users. “The lack of tangible parameters, like consequences of legality, make online interactions very dangerous. That goes for kids of all ages,” said Deb.
With the high risks associated with online gaming, it is best to keep a healthy conversation going with the kids.
“You must know what the child is feeling, and if the situation is so dire, it is advisable to contact a professional. Generally counselling, and having an honest conversation with the child helps in dealing with severe addictions,” suggests Deb.
While ecosystems of professional gaming exist in India, with e-sports players getting salaries and stipends, online games with paywalls lurk with risks of predatory actions for the children involved.