According to an ordinance seeking to limit the number of hours that youths in Takamatsu in Japan spend on surfing the internet and playing video games, only an hour is allowed for such activities on a daily basis. The Kagawa local ordinance was issued by Kagawa assembly and dictates that kids under the age of 18 should use a minimum of 60 minutes daily with no punishments alongside.
Kagawa prefecture residents should strive to meet the regulation with utmost responsibility as stipulated by the Kagawa local ordinance.
Kagawa local ordinance to be rolled out on April 1st
The Kagawa local ordinance will be effected on April 1st, therefore, becoming the first time a local council in Japan had issued an ordinance of that kind. The ruling issues out a guideline for the prefectural authority, institutions, and families to eradicate addictions of internet use and video games.
During the holidays, it stipulates a maximum of 1 hour and 30 minutes, a tough move for households.
Parents and guardians are instructed not to allow kids elementary institutions to use gadgets after 9 pm with high school learners not exceeding 10 pm. The Kagawa assembly convened a group to look into the Kagawa local ordinance in September 2019 with plans to roll out tougher measures into play.
However, as the Kagawa local ordinance was perceived to delve into domestic issues, revisions were made from using the term restriction to use smart devices to creating guidelines for households.
In the early hours of March 18th, 2020, the Kagawa Prefectural assembly stood to pass the vote to see the enactment of the guidelines.
Effects of video games on young minds
Video games have been around since the early 1970s. The first commercial arcade video game, Computer Space by Nutting Associates, was introduced in 1971. In 1972, Atari introduced Pong to the arcades. Nolan Bushnell, the man who developed Computer Space, formed Atari after leaving Nutting Associates and then produced Pong, the first truly successful commercial arcade video game.
Recent video games reward players for killing innocent bystanders, police, and prostitutes, using a wide range of weapons including guns, knives, flame throwers, swords, baseball bats, cars, hands, and feet. Some include cut scenes (i.e., brief movie clips supposedly designed to move the story forward) of strippers. In some, the player assumes the role of hero, whereas in others the player is a criminal.
Violent video games are significantly associated with: increased aggressive behavior, thoughts, and affect; increased physiological arousal; and decreased prosocial (helping) behavior. Average effect sizes for experimental studies (which help establish causality) and correlational studies (which allow examination of serious violent behavior) appear comparable for a valid conclusion.
Dr. Anderson reports after meta-analysis that violent video game effect sizes are larger than the effect of second-hand tobacco smoke on lung cancer, the effect of lead exposure to I.Q. scores in children, and calcium intake on bone mass. Studies provide converging evidence that exposure to media violence is a significant risk factor for aggressive and violent behavior.
Featured image credits: Japan Times
