The Ministry of Information and Communications has decided totemporarily stop licensing online games, ban advertisements of onlinegames, and cut off from 11pm to 6am internet access to shops that offerpublic the use of PCs.
Minister Le Doan Hop announced thedecision at a meeting on July 27 with concerned departments, said Luu VuHai, director of the ministry's Electronic Information and BroadcastingDepartment.
The decision would be valid until the end ofthis year, by which time the ministry expected the Government to approvedraft regulations on online games, Hai said.
The rule oncutting off access to establishments with PCs offering public the use ofinternet on PCs will be adjusted based on their location.
The crackdown on online games follows a public outcry about theirnegative influences on the youth. Local reports have blamed an increasein juvenile crime and school truancy on the influence of and addictionto online games.
The HCM City People's Committee last weekasked the Government to ban online games imports as well asadvertisements nationwide, especially of those with violent content.
The country has 22 licensed gaming companies and 93 games, of which 18 companies with 76 games are operating now.
A recent survey conducted by the Ministry of Education and Trainingshowed 70 and 76 per cent of primary school children playing onlinegames on weekdays in Hanoi and HCM City, respectively.
During the weekends, 100 percent of the respondents said they played online games.
At July 28's meeting, Minister Hop also mentioned long-term solutions,saying the Government should work on laws to ensure information securityand supervise information provided on the internet.
He also said the ministry should cooperate with the Public Security Ministry to manage internet usage with electronic IDs.
"The electronic IDs will not only be helpful for dealing with onlinegames issues but also for mobile phone subscriber management," Hai said.
Also July 28, deputy chairman of HCM City People'sCommittee Nguyen Thanh Tai urged the Department of Information andCommunications to work harder in cracking down on online games withviolent, gambling and pornographic content.
Le Manh Ha,the department's director, said eight out of 15 gaming companies in thecity had sent their reports on violence basing on six levels set by thedepartment.
Level 1 denotes fighting without weapons,Level 4 has individuals fighting with guns and bombs, and Level 6involves mass killing.
Ha said the department had askedthe companies to rate games based on the age of gamers, into six groups:below 6; 6-11; 12-15; 15-18; above 18; and "unsuitable for all ages".
The companies have also been asked to declare the games dealing with violence, gambling and pornography.
The city authorities were determined to deal strictly with games that negatively affect young people, Tai said at the meeting./.
Minister Le Doan Hop announced thedecision at a meeting on July 27 with concerned departments, said Luu VuHai, director of the ministry's Electronic Information and BroadcastingDepartment.
The decision would be valid until the end ofthis year, by which time the ministry expected the Government to approvedraft regulations on online games, Hai said.
The rule oncutting off access to establishments with PCs offering public the use ofinternet on PCs will be adjusted based on their location.
The crackdown on online games follows a public outcry about theirnegative influences on the youth. Local reports have blamed an increasein juvenile crime and school truancy on the influence of and addictionto online games.
The HCM City People's Committee last weekasked the Government to ban online games imports as well asadvertisements nationwide, especially of those with violent content.
The country has 22 licensed gaming companies and 93 games, of which 18 companies with 76 games are operating now.
A recent survey conducted by the Ministry of Education and Trainingshowed 70 and 76 per cent of primary school children playing onlinegames on weekdays in Hanoi and HCM City, respectively.
During the weekends, 100 percent of the respondents said they played online games.
At July 28's meeting, Minister Hop also mentioned long-term solutions,saying the Government should work on laws to ensure information securityand supervise information provided on the internet.
He also said the ministry should cooperate with the Public Security Ministry to manage internet usage with electronic IDs.
"The electronic IDs will not only be helpful for dealing with onlinegames issues but also for mobile phone subscriber management," Hai said.
Also July 28, deputy chairman of HCM City People'sCommittee Nguyen Thanh Tai urged the Department of Information andCommunications to work harder in cracking down on online games withviolent, gambling and pornographic content.
Le Manh Ha,the department's director, said eight out of 15 gaming companies in thecity had sent their reports on violence basing on six levels set by thedepartment.
Level 1 denotes fighting without weapons,Level 4 has individuals fighting with guns and bombs, and Level 6involves mass killing.
Ha said the department had askedthe companies to rate games based on the age of gamers, into six groups:below 6; 6-11; 12-15; 15-18; above 18; and "unsuitable for all ages".
The companies have also been asked to declare the games dealing with violence, gambling and pornography.
The city authorities were determined to deal strictly with games that negatively affect young people, Tai said at the meeting./.
