Abu Dhabi: Abu Dhabi Police issued a warning about the risks associated with children and teenagers engaging in violent electronic games, emphasising the potential for psychological harm, addiction, and detachment from reality.
As part of the “Our Winter is Safe and Enjoyable” campaign, the police urged parents to actively monitor their children’s gaming activities, selecting games with positive content. They cautioned against viewing electronic games as mere pastimes, emphasizing their dual nature, capable of both benefiting and posing risks to children.
The police highlighted the dangers of children falling victim to fraudsters through electronic games, advertisements, and misleading links, urging parents to be vigilant and encourage open communication with their children.
The warning emphasised the importance of downloading parental control programs and knowing their children’s online friends to enhance their protection.
Spending too much time playing video games can isolate children, and promote social isolation and anti-social behaviour.
There are studies that show that the more time children spend playing video games, the lower their performance is in school, so wasting more time with games will discourage children to do well in school..
What are parents to do?
According to scientific studies, parents need to be involved in monitoring their children’s video game playing habits. This includes being aware of which video games their children are playing and knowing when to intervene in their children’s gaming. Be mindful of any kind of video games with violence and its effects on your children.
In addition, parents need to establish boundaries for their children in relation to their game playing to prevent it from becoming a bad habit. Never allow your children to spend hours and hours playing video games. Balance and moderation are key.
Be proactive in your children’s gaming activities and be involved in the video game world with your child. As fun and educational as video games can be, it is important that parents be aware that they can be both beneficial and detrimental to your child’s development.
Abu Dhabi Police called for reporting cases of abuse by contacting the Aman service on the toll-free number 8002626 (AMAN2626) or by text message ( 2828) or via email (aman@adpolice.gov.ae) or through the smart application of the Abu Dhabi Police General Command.
