Time's up for young Gamers

[Feuer Frei!]

YOUNG South Koreans will be banned from playing online video games later than midnight after lawmakers passed a new curfew law. Yonhap news agency reported the new law - which bans anyone under 16 from playing online into the early hours - was passed by lawmakers worried about growing levels of addiction to gaming among youngsters.
Gaming companies fiercely contested the legislation but the Youth Protection bill passed late Friday.
The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family said the law was a means to combat teenagers' gaming addiction following a series of tragic incidents.
In May 2010, a South Korean couple were jailed for negligent homicide after they left their baby daughter to starve to death while they raised a "virtual" child on the internet.
In March of the same year, a 32-year-old man died after reportedly playing for five days with few breaks.
Following the incidents, the government, which estimates that the highly wired nation has about two million web addicts, announced a campaign to combat the affliction.


SOURCE

[Platapus]

And how would this ever be enforced?

[Feuer Frei!]

Originally Posted by Platapus

And how would this ever be enforced?

According to the ministry, underaged users will be forced out of gaming sessions when online access automatically shuts down as soon as the clock strikes midnight.

The policy also includes a "slowdown" system in which internet connection speeds will be stifled dramatically if underaged users are logged on for a lengthy period of time.

Gamers will be given three options for the six hour black-out period --midnight-6 a.m.,1-7 a.m., and 2-8 a.m.

The "slowdown" scheme is currently being tested out on a total of four role playing games, including the hugely popular "Dungeon & Fighter," and "Dragon Nest," and will be extended to 19 role playing games.

SOURCE

Wether it works as intended, time will tell i guess.
Although when using SSN to sign in online for a game, they'll just steal their parent's account details.
There's ways around this i guess. Always loopholes.

[TLAM Strike]

Originally Posted by Platapus

And how would this ever be enforced?

[Torplexed]

Good luck South Korea, on separating the masses from their opium. Frankly, showing them a picture of what they look like while satisfying their fix couldn't hurt either.

[CCIP]

You should also remember that unlike the private-PC-at-home culture we have here in the West, a very large portion of Korean gaming takes plan at internet cafes.

[Feuer Frei!]

Originally Posted by CCIP

You should also remember that unlike the private-PC-at-home culture we have here in the West, a very large portion of Korean gaming takes plan at internet cafes.

Well, under 16's shouldn't be, and i do stress the word shouldn't be in internet cafes at midnight.
They should be fast asleep. In a ideal world where every parent and every child functions just the way they are meant to ofc.
And, this being law, i assume the internet cafes will have to tow the line here as well.
Just in case those under 16's linger in cyber cafes after midnight.

[Fish In The Water]

Originally Posted by Torplexed

Good luck South Korea, on separating the masses from their opium.

Indeed...

Forced 'weaning' from the web is likely to have all sorts of unintended consequences. Will be interesting to watch the fallout from this.

[antikristuseke]

Originally Posted by Torplexed

Good luck South Korea, on separating the masses from their opium. Frankly, showing them a picture of what they look like while satisfying their fix couldn't hurt either.

Then again, those people make quite a bit of cash playing tournaments, pro gaming is on the up and it is becoming more and more lucrative for those who are good at it.