Senator Aquino opposes calling on a blanket ban on video games amid Tacloban shooting
“Video games have been around for 50 years, but they’re always a convenient scapegoat whenever there’s an incident of violence,” the senator stressed in a statement.
Aquino, head chairperson of the Senate Committees on Basic Education and Science and Technology, states that numerous studies have shown that there is no correlation between the incidences during the Taclooban shooting and video games amid the discussion of banning violent video games in the country.
“More studies have been done that say there is no correlation between video games and school shootings,” Aquino remarks.
On the initial police investigation discovered one of the suspects was an “avid player” of GoreBox, a game known for unrestrained violence, destruction and graphic violence which prompted the Cybercrime Investigation and the Coordinating Center to suspend the sandbox game.
Rather than a blanket ban, Aquino suggested a stricter enforcement of age restrictions displayed on online platforms for video games to prevent further complications and issues. The senator proposes for a School Safety Act, which includes installation of CCTV cameras and deployment of security personnel, including a regular Parent-Teacher Association meetings (PTA).
“Banning video games in general or as a whole, I don’t think that’s a good solution to our problems,” he said.
“There are many games that are not for children. Maybe what we can clarify is if there is anything more strict, children’s access to mature video games should be more strict,” Aquino added.
Additionally, the senator called upon game developers to ensure online games to be safer for children, he also remarks that developers with a younger target demographic for video games must be monitored while banning those who influence minors to incite violence /Phoemella Contreras
