IS video games target children’s innocence

Manama

Parents beware! An innocuous video game can be the game changer in the life of your children. Of late, the Islamic State (IS) militants are targeting children to be indoctrinated for their cause through video games.

IS supporters have modified the latest version of the video game ARMA III in which a user can play as an IS militant, especially against the Peshmerga and Syrian army. Through the video game it also aims the slaughtering of the Westerners and the Syrian soldiers.

 The ostensible object of the militants is to inculcate the idea of fighting against the Westerners in the subconscious minds of the children.

 Speaking to DT News Bahrain Game Developers Founder Ameen Al Tajer said gaming was a very powerful media for indoctrination. “It could be super dangerous as the children are vulnerable to such techniques,” he observed.

 “You can send many messages through the games. Parents should take the responsibility to know what their kids are receiving in terms of content,” Al Tajer added.

Another game developer Moneim Ali said that games could be very effective in terms of storytelling and delivering values. He said that they had already many games in which the player was a fighter in a war. “Such games have been very controversial in our region, quite sensitive for such topics. However, the purpose of those games is pure fun.”

 “When games begin to be used to achieve political goals, they stop being games. It becomes more of a trap than a game,” he remarked.

 Moneim recalled that as a kid after beating Metal Gear Solid, he amused his father by saying that he wanted to join foxhound (fictional group in the game). “It wouldn't be funny if the same thing happened after falling for an IS trap,” he cautioned.  

 According to him, a game designer could shape the game in a way that the bad guys look like the good guys. “In the case of this IS game, children may play it and come out of the game believing that the world was conspiring on IS, and thus sympathise with them,” he said.

 Commenting on the roles of parents, he added that parents should also watch what sort of games their children were playing and should create a check and balance system on them.