Academic calls for curbs on children’s access to Internet, social media
A leading academic has called on the government to restrict children’s access to Internet and online media to prevent them from developing violent habits like a 14-year-old boy who went on a shooting spree on Tuesday.
Assoc Prof Adisak Plitponkarnpim, director of Mahidol University’s National Institute for Child and Family Department, was commenting on the shooting event at Siam Paragon in Bangkok that saw two people killed and five others injured.
Adisak surmised that the violence committed by the teen could have been caused either by brain abnormality or by violent traits developed by being raised in certain environments.
Adisak said if the boy developed violent behaviours from the upbringing, his family could not be held solely responsible because the social environment could also trigger the violent instincts.
He said precipitating factors that could lead to violence included computer games, websites and various online media that were easy to access for children in Thailand.
Adisak said the government should at least categorise online media rating to restrict children’s access.
Adisak said the fact that guns and ammunition were found at the boy’s house suggested that he might have developed a fascination with violence through uncontrolled access to online media.
He said parents should monitor their children’s behaviours but the government and government agencies concerned must also formulate measures to regulate children’s access to online media.
Adisak added that although the country has had an act on preschool children's development for years, it has not been effectively enforced so all stakeholders should reconsider enforcing the law for better development of children.
