Indonesia Considers Video Game Restrictionsโ Following Deadlyโค Mosque Bombing
Jakarta, Indonesia – Indonesianโ officials are considering restrictions onโฃ violent video โฃgames, including the popular battle royale โขtitle โ PUBG: Battlegrounds,โค in the wake of a recent mosque bombing that left dozens injured. โฃThe move,โฃ announcedโ this week, reflectsโ a growing concern within the government about the potential influence of violent content on radicalized individualsโค and the broader population.
The bombing, which occurred inโฃ Jakarta, hasโ reignited debateโ over โขthe โขfactors contributingโ to extremism in the world’s โขlargest Muslim-majority nation. Whileโค authorities investigate the โdirect causes of the attack, Coordinating Minister for โขPolitical, Legal and Security Affairs Wirantoโ Prasetyo has publicly pointed to the accessibility and immersive nature โคof games like PUBG โค as โฃaโค potential negative influence, especiallyโ on young โpeople. This discussion arrives amid ongoing efforts to counter extremist ideologies and prevent future attacks.
Prasetyo specificallyโ warnedโ that PUBG: Battlegrounds, โคdeveloped by South Koreanโค firm Krafton, poses a risk due to its user-friendly gameplay and realistic depiction ofโ combat. “Take PUBG, for exmaple. We may โrestrict โit.There are various types of weapons [in the game], and it’s very easy to learn, makingโข it even more hazardous. Psychologically, โคpeople become accustomed to violence,”โฃ he stated.
The potential ban raises โขcomplex questions about theโ effectiveness ofโข such measures in curbing extremism. Experts are divided on whether restrictingโ access to violent video games can meaningfully address the root causes of radicalization, which often involve socio-economicโฃ factors, political grievances, โขand exposureโ to extremist โขpropaganda. The Indonesian government has not yet outlined specific details regarding potentialโ restrictions, but officials indicated they are exploring various options to mitigate theโข perceived risks.