PUBG Mobile: 3 Talking Points you must know about the PIL Against PUBG Ban and Arrests

In an unprecedented move earlier this year, the ultra-popular mobile game PlayerUnknown’s Battleground (PUBG) was banned in the state of Gujarat. The reason, early on, was cited as the falling academic performance of students in the state.

And while the move was balked at and ridiculed online, there were actual arrests made based on this ban. Ten students from the city of Rajkot were taken into custody for violating the ban and were booked under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) 188 and Gujarat Police Act 135.

While they were left off soon after on bail, this made many sit up and take note of the act.

Amongst the many who vociferously spoke up against legal action for playing a game, Internet Freedom Foundation (IFF) was the prime voice.

Here are talking points about the PIL, and what it could mean for the future of not just PUBG Mobile, but other such games in India too:

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#3 IFF challenges that the ban violates the Constitution:

Taking cognizance of over twenty arrests made overall over the PUBG ban, the foundation claims that these detainments are violative of Articles 14 (equality before the law, or equal protection within the territory of India), 19 (freedom of speech and expression) and 21 (Right to life and personal liberty) of the Constitution.

To put it plainly, the IFF believes that such arbitrary bans, especially using the threat of imprisonment, to force youngsters to give up recreational activities, need to be challenged.

The foundation acknowledged that while the Ahmedabad police has announced that the ban will not be renewed, there was nothing stopping it legally from happening again. In a statement, IFF said,

“What is worse are the legal prosecutions that have resulted from it. While the PUBG ban may seem absurd and amusing at first glance, it is no laughing matter. Out of the twenty one people arrested, at least thirteen were young college students For a young student who is worried about his family’s reaction and future career prospects, being arrested by the police can be a deeply traumatic experience. To us the PUBG Ban is fuelled by moral panic and the harms from video games require scientific study and then non-legal methods of engagement.”

#2 No real correlation between video games and violence:

Studies show there's no correlation between violent games and teenage anger

In the order prohibiting playing PUBG Mobile, the police commissioner of Rajkot City asserted that games were linked to violent traits that are shown to be increasing in the youth and children. “Due to these games, the education of children and youth are being affected and it affects the behavior, manners, speech, and development of the youth and children,” a rough translation of the order from Gujarati reads.

However, studies hint at no correlation between video games and an increase in aggression in adolescents. Most recently, in a February 2019 study by scientists from Oxford University, this theory was swatted away.

The study is supposed to be the most definitive one till date, despite the fact that it’s been popular to think that video games can cause aggression in teenagers. The study involved about 2,000 teenage subjects who played these so-called violent video games, and their parents, who were asked to rate their child’s recent aggressive behaviors.

And scientists concluded that not only was there no correlation between playing video games and aggressive behavior in teenagers, but past studies might also have been influenced by researcher bias.

#1 A matter for parental caution, not penal law:

In an ideal scenario, meeting up with friends to play a few video games together should end up in a fun campaign, some great dinner and conversation. What it shouldn’t do is land you in jail. Banning an entire game to ensure children don’t get their hands on them sounds absurd enough, but imagine being jailed for it too.

“ While large numbers of online gamers do congregate and spend long hours in front of their smartphones or gaming consoles much to the annoyance of their friends and family such assemblies are rarely unlawful. It would be a stretch to call such activities as threatening public order.”

Like IFF notes, it shouldn’t be called unlawful to get together and play online games, and it definitely shouldn’t qualify as a threat to public order.

On the other hand, parents must have full discretion to decide whether or not their ward should be exposed to any particular game if they happen to be minors. Adolescence has always been a time to be enamored by video games, TV shows, and even music that can take over your life.

But with all things at the age, the sheen eventually wears off and other distractions appear. That shouldn’t be a basis for banning or, even worse, arresting adults who choose to unwind with a game like this.

During a day and age where battle royale games like PUBG Mobile have professional competitions and eye-watering prize money and gamers involved, involving the law for regulation is bad form.

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