Is banning online games an effective solution to school violence?

Filipinos online have varying opinions.

Netizens are split on the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center’s (CICC) decision to temporarily ban the online game GoreBox; some agree with the restriction while many think it is a “band-aid solution.”

The ban came after investigations revealed that one of the minor suspects involved in the Tacloban City school shooting was an avid player of the game. Malacañang also said on Tuesday that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is open to legislative proposals on banning similar games.

This prompted online discussion on the possible factors that influence aggressive behavior among the youth following the recent surge of school violence cases in the country.

“It’s easier to blame online games than to talk about the real issue. Games can influence behavior, but parents still play the biggest role in teaching values, discipline, respect, and responsibility,” one commented in a report by ABS-CBN News.

Meanwhile, a Threads user called for more games to be barred, including the virtual gaming platform Roblox, which also faced banning proposals from the CICC in March. “Please ban or delete Roblox. Grabe effect sa mga bata all over the world. ‘Di nakakatulong,” the user said.

Plans to ban Roblox were ultimately ruled out in April after its executives pledged stricter child-protection measures.

The discourse caused uproar in the Filipino gaming community, with gamers saying the focus must be shifted on the environmental upbringing of children and the guidance of parents. “Merong parental controls ‘yan [games]. Kapabayaan ng magulang kung magiging bayolente ‘yong bata, ‘wag niyong isisi sa app,” another user posted on Threads.

Additionally, they questioned the intensified scrutiny on online games and called for similar regulations in other media forms such as television shows and advertisements that promote sensitive practices like gun violence, smoking, gambling and alcohol use.

As the Philippine National Police coordinates with the CICC to heighten monitoring efforts for harmful content on digital platforms, Filipinos in social media echo sentiments that underscore the need for parents to also take primary accountability of their children rather than merely relying on the law.

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