Are Gaming Time Limits OK?

Kailei: I think the government should enforce time limits on online gaming because video games can be detrimental to teens’ physical and mental health. According to a National Institutes of Health study, the amount of time teens spend playing video games can be directly linked to sleep loss, poor academic performance, and feelings of isolation. Time limits would help prevent those outcomes. Opponents of this idea might argue that it’s parents’ jobs to monitor their kids’ gaming, but I think that’s an unrealistic expectation. Parents simply don’t have the time to look over their teens’ shoulders every time they’re online to make sure they’re not playing video games. If these games automatically shut off after an hour or two each day, it would be better for teens’ health and also for their relationships with their parents.

Bruce: This law might work in China, but in the United States, most people are not used to having a high level of government oversight. Not only would most American teens object to this law, their parents would object too. Parents should be able to make the rules about what is appropriate for their families.

Another reason I think this law is a bad idea is that it most likely would require kids to disclose their real names, ages, and contact information. While I definitely worry about the government being able to monitor minors to this degree, I also worry about potentially dangerous situations if a hacker were to get this information, or if personal information were leaked. If our priority is protecting children and not possibly putting them in more danger, we should reject attempts to pass laws  instituting time limits on online gaming.