Legal Niches

Korea Launches Fight Against Game & Net Addiction

By pete_gallagher

In a bid to combat its estimated 2.0 million Internet and videogame addicts, South Korea will offer free software to the populace that would limit time spent online.

Under what's termed a 'consensual shut-down program,' users would be able to set the days and times that they would be able to access the Internet, reports the Korean Times. A second method of limiting screen time would involve a program dubbed Internet Fatigue, which is designed to 'make gamers become bored as time goes by.'

The measures were issued by a special inter-ministry group setup to fight the overuse of the Web and games. The government is said to be focused on preventive actions and will launch educational programs expected to reach 10.0 million people, while 300,000 heavy Internet users will be able to receive counseling services. 10,000 jobs will be created as a result of the latter initiative.

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Full post as published by GamePolitics.com on March 19, 2010 (boomark / email).