TEEN PHOTOS COURTESY OF FAMILIES
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.