Should Limits be put on Internet/Gaming Usage?

[RandomManJay]

Just to put it in perspective, there is a growing concern over the amount of time spent on the internet and games, basically because of seperate incidents being on the increase due to addiction etc. on games such as online games like World of Warcraft, Final Fantasy XI etc. as well as offline games as Grand Theft Auto, Manhunt etc.

I'll let you discuss :P.

[Wayne]

The internet and gaming is somebody's personal choice. If they wish to spend a lot of time surfing the internet and playing games, so be it, it's their own free time and nobody should really put a stop to such usage.

[Recursion]

The internet and gaming is somebody's personal choice. If they wish to spend a lot of time surfing the internet and playing games, so be it, it's their own free time and nobody should really put a stop to such usage.

This to be honest.

[today]

It's down to the gamers tbh.. Unless you own extremely protective parents, then yeah.

[Catchy]

tht is like sayin, shud a limit be put on habbo for the addicts. "Noooooooooo" you all scream :)

[RandomManJay]

This is all well and good for the individual, but there has been an increase (either through gamers growing an unstable addition or through media interest) on incidents where others have been put in danger rather than just the individual. Such as Stefan Pakeerah and Pekka-Eric Auvinen as well as cases where individuals have died from excessive playing, commiting suicide as well attacking friends, all of which has been blamed or somehow related to gaming.

Although these are only small incidents which do not amount to much to begin with, with increased usage of games and an increased interest in the effects of these games has shown that the problem could become a serious issue if allowed to continue. Simple addiction isn't much to begin with, but should games have limits placed to ensure that simple addiction is all this is amounts to?

*If I didn't make it clear what I was actually asking to discuss, sorry, it was late when I posted it :P.

[Catchy]

Speaking of gaming addiction, a woman left her husband and kids to go and live on 'Second life' lmaoooo!

[Immenseman]

nah, not really. it's up to the individual, it's their life. like sometimes i used to play habbo for hours on end, like all day because there was nothing else to do. does that mean i'm addicted? not really because if something better came up to do, i'd happily drop habbo. just an example yeah boy.

[GommeInc]

Let's limit the amount of time people drive and read books (preferably not at the same time:P)? I've found games and the tinterweb very informative actually, especially Animal Crossing - you learn so many latin/scientific names for insects and fish that it's amazing :O If they made games more informative, then it maybe quite useful - although, you get the problem of children making guns because Snake gave them a lecture about it under a box... :P

It depends on the individual though, like was Gay said, that woman who left her husband to live in a game... What a freak :P She probably did need some sort of help.

[Skajo]

And put more kids on the street? No thanks.

[Soy]

use it for whatever

[Mentor]

The whole nanny state thing is bad enough as it is, i'm not a fan of laws telling us how long we can use a computer, how long we may driver for at a time, how long we should sleep each night, how much we should eat or anything else.
I generally have enough faith in humanity to think we are quite capable of working all this stuff out for ourselves.

[Caution]

No, it's personal choice. Not everyone has issues, most people can handle it.

[Pyroka]

No, because then I wouldn't be able to get the 'spend time on Habbo the longest' achievement, it does it by hours you see, and it'd take ages to just get the 144 hour badge. :(

[Yoshimitsui]

In some cases yes, because people don't know when to stop and realise the effect it may be having on them. It also comes down to how responsible and effective parents are.

[Wahey]

Personal choice, goverment can't control someones will, so no.

[Wootzeh]

I would rather not live in China.

[Jippz]

nah, not really. it's up to the individual, it's their life. like sometimes i used to play habbo for hours on end, like all day because there was nothing else to do. does that mean i'm addicted? not really because if something better came up to do, i'd happily drop habbo. just an example yeah boy.

Yeah this is a good point. Habbo's ok once you get past the "OMGLOLZER HI BABZ ASL WONT 2 HAVE U NO WOT??"
You just gotta know the right people. Eg, Lana's gay girl bar, all lovely people.:D

[5,5]

No because if I buy something with my own money, no body should be able to tell me when I can and cant use it.

[iAdam]

Gaming has become bigger and bigger with the recession, people are gaming more. If you place a limit on usage then the country becomes even crapper and becomes more and more like a dictatorship.

[xxMATTGxx]

Don't the government try and control us too much already? This is our own choice and our own time. We should be able to do what we want with it and use the internet and game any times of the day! =]

[Nxrissa]

its up to them what they want to do.

[VirtualG]

I think there are a lot bigger issues on the internet than gaming addiciton. I think if somebody screws up there life, like taking drugs or becoming an alcoholic than they deserve the consequences.