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Youngsters indulge in online games at an internet shop in Cau Giay District, Ha Noi. To many people's surprise, game addiction is reported to be not as serious as indicated in the media. — VNA/VNS Photo Thanh Giang |
The survey, by the Viet Nam Institute of Social Science, claims to prove that while onlines games are highly popular with students, there is a low rate of addiction among them.
The institute's random check on 1,400 people in six main cities and provinces showed that only 5.2 per cent showed signs of game addiction, such as playing for increasing amounts of time, lying to friends and family to conceal their activities and feeling irritable when trying to cut down on playing games.
Findings of the one-month survey, made public on Tuesday, revealed that more than 71 per cent of people aged under 20 play online games.
Secondary school students between 16 and 20 years old were the largest group of players, accounting for 42 per cent of the total.
However, school students only ranked third in hours of daily online gaming. First position was taken by white-collar workers and second by unemployed and low-income people.
Each player was reported to spend more than 12 hours a week on online games. More than 53 per cent of school students spent less than 10 hours per week.
The study reported that only 0.3 per cent of players admitted to playing games between 11pm to 6am. Most chose internet shops for their playing activities.
Although more than half said they felt relaxed after playing games, online games were not their favourite entertainment. Nearly 95 per cent chose other activities to spend their free time.
Dr Tran Hoa Binh who chaired the research said the survey the first of its kind in Viet Nam, would provide a firm foundation for the Government to base its online game management policies on.
Binh said the survey was implemented in Ha Noi, HCM City, Da Nang and Can Tho cities, and Dong Nai and Hai Duong provinces.
He said online games could seriously affect players' time, money and health if they failed to keep control. He said it was also necessary for strict controls on internet shops.
On Tuesday, HCM City's Department of Information and Telecommunication sent messages to 18 online game suppliers to require them to stop supplying services to internet shops between 10pm to 8am from Monday.
Earlier, these suppliers were asked to cut down internet services to internet shops within 200 metres of schools. — VNS
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