There has been a widespread debate over the adoption of technologies in day to day life. Technology is changing our lives very fast but there is also a need to draw a line somewhere. Parents are increasingly complaining over the children’s growing reliance on technology.
Kids all across the globe are falling into the trap of technology. They are using smartphones and computers like never before. Children getting engrossed in gaming is a common sight everywhere. They are getting addicted to games and it is also affecting their lifestyle.
Gone are the days when kids had no other option but step outside for recreation. They are now very comfortable being indoors using smartphones, computers and gaming devices like Playstation and Xbox. It is dearly affecting their health and growth.
Parents are now believing that the tipping point has come. They think that it is now time to restrict their children from getting addicted to gaming. They also believe that it is high time that children should get back to the playgrounds and indulge in physical activities.
Player Unknowns Battlegrounds, PUBG, is a popular videogame whose popularity has surged unabatedly. Children from all across the world are getting addicted to this game day by day. Its popularity is growing despite the violent character of the game which has also become a debatable issue.
PUBG has become household name and the game had achieved 200 million downloads mark in December last year. India is obviously a big market for the PUBG Corporation, a subsidiary of South Korean video game company Bluehole.
However, the divide between parents and children over the use of PUBG had come to the fore during the “Pariksha Pe Charcha 2.0” which happened at the Talkatora Stadium in the national capital on Tuesday. The interactive session was spearheaded by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The PM was interacting with students, parents and teachers as the examinations are nearby.
A mother of the ninth class student in Delhi, Madhumita Sen Gupta seemed to be worried with her son getting addicted to the videogames. She pointed out that her son was very good in studies earlier but he has been affected due to the addiction to the videogames.
The PM directly taking jibe at the PUBG said, “It is time that we should ask ourselves whether the technology is turning children into robots or making them humans.” The need to draw the line in the use of technology was emphasised by Modi.
He categorically said that parents need to check whether the technology is narrowing our thoughts and if that is happening then it is a big setback. Modi said that human connections like sharing laugh is very important and children should play in open grounds. Obviously, the PM was worried over the excessive addiction to the videogames.
Moreover, the children are also spending hours on the YouTube to hone their skills in terms of playing the PUBG. The views of these videos available on the YouTube clearly shows that children are spending good amount of time online and are very serious about the videogame.
Incidentally, PUBG was banned in China in December 2018. There are many educational institutes in India which are also taking steps to prevent children from getting addicted to videogames like PUBG. Vellore Institute of Technology and primary schools in Gujarat have already banned the videogame.
As per reports, the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has also recommended for imposing ban on the videogame all over the country. All these steps have been taken in the direction of ensuring that children grow naturally amidst nature and not in the confinement of walls.
