Is the game 60 minutes a day? Pros and cons of the Kagawa Prefectural Draft January 16 22:13
"Children under the age of 18 use smartphones daily for 60 minutes on weekdays." It is the contents of the draft presented by the Kagawa Prefectural Assembly aiming to establish ordinances as a measure against addiction to the Internet and games. While some parents said, "There should be a guide," some have rebelled, especially on the Internet. (Takamatsu Broadcasting Station Reporter Taichi Yokoyama Kazue Sato / Network Press Department Reporter Ken Memida Yohei Kato)
"Children's smartphone use is up to here" determined by the regulations
The point of the draft that the Kagawa Prefectural Assembly showed for the first time on January 10 is that it indicates the restriction on smartphone use time.
(The full text of the ordinance draft is at the end of the sentence)
The subject is a child under the age of 18, using smartphones, computers, games, etc. that can lead to addiction.
▼ Up to 60 minutes on weekdays and 90 minutes on holidays per day.
▼ Nighttime use is for junior high school students and younger until 9pm and for high school students until 10pm.
There are no penalties.
The subject is only "use of the Internet and games that can lead to addiction", and the use for learning purposes is not restricted.
further,
▼ Prefectural maintenance of medical treatment system for addiction treatment,
▼ It is also included that the prefecture fosters human resources with knowledge of addiction.
According to Kagawa Prefecture, if it is established, it will be the first ordinance in Japan to become an ordinance specializing in game addiction.
Overplaying the game is “sick”
In the background is growing concern about relying heavily on games.
WHO = The World Health Organization has added a new category of game disorders in 2019 to the International Classification of Diseases, an international list of injuries and illnesses requiring medical care diagnosis and treatment.
"Game disorder" refers to a situation in which people are unable to control their desire to play games on smartphones or the like, and are unable to eat or drink or go to work, thereby hindering their lives.
One hour on the smartphone "The correct answer rate of the test will drop"
The reference for the time indicated in the draft of the ordinance was a survey conducted by the Kagawa Board of Education in 2018.
For 5th grade students through 2nd grade junior high school students, if the usage time of SNS with a smartphone etc. exceeds 1 hour, the correct answer rate of the achievement test tends to decrease.
According to Junko Umino, director of Sanko Hospital in Takamatsu, who treats addiction, "I think that society had a shortage of the idea of being sick and having the idea of recovering from it. It's easy to notice the restrictions on use, but it's a very meaningful step forward for not only medical care but also educational institutions, families and support groups to work together and deepen their relationships. "
Opinions continue on the net
On the other hand, on the Internet, various opinions on drafts are flowing.
"I think it can be appreciated by parents who are seriously concerned about children's dependence on games."
"I don't want my favorite games to be treated as illnesses that take away my child's future.
"Rather than playing games, the horror that the government rushes into the private life of each household individual"
"I think it's an irreplaceable time to get excited, compete, and progress with the game with friends. If you want to study, why don't you make an effort to make your study fun?"
"In the warning sentence, the game to be released in the future must be written as" This game is not expected to be played in Kagawa Prefecture. "
Children and mothers
I asked a family with children.
Komatsu Tsunoda, a fifth-grade elementary school student in Takamatsu, promises to play online games for up to one hour a day in accordance with his mother's promise.
The game console is set to turn off after one hour from the start of the game, and if you want to extend the time, you have to negotiate with your mother.
Kosuke talks about setting an upper limit on the time spent using games.
Kosuke Tsunoda "I'll try my best, but I don't know if I can. I want to use more if I can use it."
My mother, Naoko, agrees.
Mother Naoko "Even if you talk to various mothers, some people say that it is OK for one hour or three hours is OK. Some friends can say," You are good and why we are not good " There's one hour for the guide, which is very good for those who are at a loss or who can't decide. "
esports is a high school club activity
Despite various opinions, it seems that how to deal with games needs to be deepened in society.
The “esports” competition, which is a competitive game, is gaining momentum mainly among young people around the world.
The Prefectural Oarai High School in Ibaraki Prefecture was founded in April last year with the "esports competition".
The chance was that the student had consulted with the teacher, saying, "I want to do it as a club activity."
It is said that the students created and submitted their own action plan to persuade the school.
Activities Policy ▽ Maintain and improve grades by concentrating on academic work ▽ Work in accordance with high school students according to school rules 則 Work with attention to physical strength improvement and health
Currently there are five members, and the whole activity is 2 hours from 4:00 pm every Wednesday.
According to the school, none of the members had a drop in school performance so far, and their ability to communicate increased by playing games with each other, and after examining the game, identifying reflection points and deciding on a practice menu. He seems to feel that it is.
Regarding the draft of the Kagawa Prefecture Ordinance, Yasunobu Saito said, "We do not comment", and regarding club activities, "we trust the students' independence because they are rules decided by ourselves." I was talking.
What is the root of the problem? Only children?
Miki Endo, who speaks at schools and is familiar with the dependence on games and the Internet, says:
Miki Endo: "Game addiction is related to many factors such as the home environment, parent-child relationships, and economic conditions, so I think that the root of the problem is not just the usage time. Also, there are many consultations on adult game addiction. There is a sense of unfairness in ordinances that are limited to children.It is also conceivable that children will be involved in IT-related employment as future occupations, and parents will carefully discuss the characteristics and characteristics of the children and discuss them individually. I think we need to decide. ''
The game industry surveys the actual situation
One game industry.
According to the Computer Entertainment Association made by game companies, etc., "game disabilities are problems that cannot be overlooked." However, there is a part where the actual situation is not yet understood, and comments can not be made.
However, if you want to find a countermeasure based on scientific research, you have set up a study group in collaboration with other industry groups, are conducting a national survey, and will collect the results around autumn.
Next month To submit the ordinance proposal
The Kagawa Prefectural Assembly will hold a committee in the future to correct some of the wording, and then seek opinions from the prefectural residents on its website.
After referring to the results, the committee intends to submit the regulations to the prefectural assembly in February.
This draft shows how to deal with the new problem of game dependence.
What do you think about this?
[Reference material: full text of the ordinance draft]