Emerging Issues in Modern Technologies: Gaming Addiction in Children
One of the fastest growing industries influenced by modern technology in today’s generation is online gaming. It is mainly targeted towards teenagers and children. The industry gains billions in profits each year, as parents are pressured towards keeping up with newest games available. The challenge arises especially among the children, when they become addicted to the video games and end up neglecting other important aspects important in their growth and development process. The issue has been addressed by thousands of researchers globally, focusing on both its advantages and disadvantages among the children. Proponents argue that the games are an opportunity to engage kids more in solving problems and puzzles, which may be important in daily activities. The games have a potential to make them more mentally active or sharper. The levels put in different challenges as well as the time-limited missions and levels can be important for a person during the growth and development age to learn about some of the important activities such as time management and coordination (Wallwork, p. 3). On the other hand, opponents argue that the games have the possibility of being addictive to the children, making it difficult for them to concentrate in other important activities. The essay argues that gaming is addictive to children and it is upon parents, educators and caregivers to limit its use.
Video games can be traced back to the origin of computers in the mid 20th century. Since then, various companies, individuals and investors have been trying to come up with the most successful gaming console especially targeting children and teenagers (Al-Hileh, p. 13).. After the introduction of smartphones, games have become the most downloaded applications with billions of engaged players across the globe. Companies continue making money by ensuring that their games present puzzles that are interesting to the player and increasing the number of downloads. They ensure that the applications have simple user-interfaces, are competitive and offer different options depending on a person’s age, orientation and preferences. The gaming consuls can be updated to give the user options of virtual reality, such as selecting teams that currently in major sports leagues. Some applications have even gone further to enable the person to create avatars, who can represent them and have special powers and compete with other players. Such special options have continues to increase gaming popularity across the globe, with individuals from different areas of life becoming interested in various gaming apps or consuls.
Proponents of the video gaming apps and consuls argue that they contribute to social integration by offering a relaxation opportunity for everyone in the community. Game developers target different segments as well as age brackets in the society. However, about 80% target children and teenagers. They focus at an age whereby the kids are active, competitive and curious about different things in life. One of the advantages that they cite is that playing develops a better perception of what is happening among the players. The interaction with others competitively is able to develop motor skills, which involve coordination with the hands and the mind. For preschool children, they can identify colors, select them and match them using a method that is fun and enjoyable. The games can also show the level of development for a child. For example, children that have speech problems are able to learn different ways of communication such as selection of colors at a young age. It also gives children a competitive ability and enable them to determine their strengths or interests in specific games. For example, a child playing a fantasy basketball game can grow to become a successful coach by learning each player’s strengths and weaknesses.
Studies show that in the United States, about two-thirds of the population plays some type of video games. The videos games have become an invariable source of fun for the entire family since the introduction in the 1970s. One of the main advantages for the games among children is that it brings both children and adults together. Game designers consider different aspects such as popularity and the viability of the game in a family setting. Gaming consuls such as Playstation or Nintendo can be found in almost every home in America. They bring families together as siblings and parents spend time together in adventure, sports, general entertainment or educational games. Some type of activities such as Charades or Pictionary, which seemed boring among children have been popularized by coming up with tools such as 3D drawing and virtual reality. They give the children an opportunity to popularize with popular culture, books as well as theatre productions. The games have also an educational value as parents are allowed to chose the type of game that their child plays (Al-Hileh, p. 13). When used effectively, gaming can be used in the household not only as entertainment but also education as each person knows of the preferences and needs of the other through constant interaction.
The main challenge arises when children focus more on video gaming and online applications as opposed to other activities in their lives. For example, a child may be pressuring his or her parents to purchase a new game, ignoring their participation in school, sporting activities and other social events. The child becomes a part of the gaming app rather than having actual friends and playmates. In psychology, experts have found that such instances can lead to aggressiveness (Wallwork, p. 3). Children may engage in gaming options that expose them to sexual and physical abuse that is present in all media. The violence can cause childhood aggression, which pushes the child to prove to his or her age mates that he or she is an adult. The games are also rife with violence and pornography. The most famous videos games in the world are mission games, which take a person through a journey of killing enemies or other individuals that affect the user’s wellbeing. Such instances may trigger acts of violence among the children, who may think that the only way to address rejection or other problems is through violence.
Video games have also been found to cause attention problems among children. When a child has a problem, he or she may attempt to talk to a parent without success. When playing a video game, however, their ability to maneuver through different levels makes them successful and become favorable members among the video games peers. They tend to engage more in content associated to the games, making them spend more than 80% of their expected free time playing. The also extend their online time in classes, dining room, sleeping and other areas where they are expected to carry out social or physical activities. The games then lead to decreased concentration and memory. The children are interested in scoring more on a competitive gaming platform rather than grasping what they learn in the classroom (Al-Hileh, p. 24). They also anticipate competitions in their consuls or apps rather than listening to the advice from their children or teachers. The other major challenge is addiction. As soon as a young person is introduced to a gaming app, he or she attempts to spend more time in learning how to become better at it rather than making friends on the outside world. It leaves them spending more time attempting to outdo others in the games.
One of the main issues that has risen in the past years aggravated by video gaming addiction is cyber stalking. The internet and other electronic means have become a means to harass or stalk a person. There have been hundreds of cases in the country where a stranger using such means has lured children and kidnapped them. Most of the gaming consuls provide an interactive segment, where people can meet online, chat and compete. The intention of the game designers is to offer a user interface that is enjoyable and fun. There are thousands of chat rooms in the internet as a result of gaming. Perverts, kidnappers and other unscrupulous individuals see it as an opportunity to meet their marks. They create characters in children games and spend hours luring the kids to talk to them or compete (Wallwork, p. 5). Later, they use it to learn vital information such as where the children live, when the parents are absent or the routes they take to school. The children play the games for hours and the parents do not know of their engagements. The result is that the kids feel some type of safety by sharing information with strangers online.
One of the main ways to address the issue is to limit the use of gaming apps and consuls among children. Parents and educators should encourage youngsters to engage in physical and social activities that expose them to the outside world. They should not give in to pressure from the youngsters to buy them modern consuls or smartphones to access the games. They should focus on ensuring that the child’s health and safety is guaranteed by giving them psychological, social and physical development activities. Unlike the common idea that gaming is bad, it can allow them to become more coordinative and competitive. However, other activities are also important in ensuring that the child experiences holistic development.