PETALING JAYA: Parent groups say the proposed Gaming Sub-Code could assist parents in managing their children’s gaming activities through stronger age checks, safer child accounts and spending controls.
Parent Action Group for Education president Datin Noor Azimah Abdul Rahman said parents remained the first line of protection but gaming platforms also had a role to play in creating safer online environments for children.
“Parents should know broadly what games their children play, check the age ratings and privacy settings, understand whether strangers can communicate with their child, and establish clear rules around playing time and spending.
“Most importantly, parents need to talk to their children rather than simply police them,” she said.
Citing a UNICEF Malaysia study, Noor Azimah said 72% of children aged between 12 and 17 played online games at least once a week, with the figure rising to 84% among boys and 59% among girls.
She said the concern extended beyond violent content if children begin interacting with strangers, have inappropriate communication and make virtual purchases.
To strengthen the proposed sub-code, she called for more effective age-assurance measures and parental controls, particularly for games involving mature content, communication features and in-game purchases.
“Gaming platforms should also adopt safety-by-design measures, with appropriate safeguards built into their services instead of leaving parents to discover and activate them,” she said.
Noor Azimah added that violent video games should be viewed as one potential risk factor for aggressive behaviour rather than its sole cause, as factors such as family environment, peer relationships, emotional difficulties, sleep and gaming habits could also play a role.
Melaka Action Group for Parents in Education chairman Mak Chee Kin said the proposed Gaming Sub-Code could help strengthen protections for children as the country’s age rating is meaningless if a child can simply enter a false date of birth to bypass it.
He said age ratings alone were insufficient and called for stronger age-assurance measures, safer child accounts and greater accountability among gaming platforms and developers.
He also urged tighter controls on strangers contacting children, excessive in-game spending and gambling-like features, including paid randomised rewards.
“Child accounts should be safe by default, rather than expecting parents to discover and switch on every protection themselves,” he said.
Schools should also introduce basic gaming and digital literacy education to help children recognise risks, including cyberbullying and game features such as loot boxes, virtual currencies and limited-time offers that could encourage continued play or spending.
Children should understand the risks of interacting with strangers online and know when to block users, report inappropriate behaviour or seek help from trusted adults, he added.
On whether violent video games could cause aggressive behaviour, Mak said there was no simple cause-and-effect relationship.
While some research had found an association between violent gaming and aggression, Mak said the effects could vary depending on a child’s age, personality, family environment, gaming habits and exposure to other forms of violence.
“We should not ban gaming per se, but look at how to make gaming safer and more age-appropriate,” he said.
