16.6.2023
EN
Official Journal of the European Union
C 214/23 Wednesday 18 January 2023
28.
Calls on the Commission to assess the possibility of requiring providers of online video games that are directed towards minors and young children to develop ex-ante child impact assessments based on the 4Cs (‘content, contact, conduct, contract’) framework for classifying risk and to effectively mitigate any identified risks to minors’ rights;
Additional benefits and risks for consumers
29.
Emphasises the importance of mental health, particularly that of minors and young children; notes that video games provided relief during strict lockdown periods during COVID-19; recalls the positive role that online connectivity played in ensuring that Europeans could still communicate, interact and create together, including via online video games; recalls that gaming can provide interactive avenues for individuals who experience social disconnection or isolation in real-life environments; notes that this has been particularly true for elderly people, who are among those who have suffered the most from isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic; notes that the WHO believes that online games can become a key instrument in nurturing our bonds to others (31); notes the benefits of cross-platform online games for the user experience — by enabling players to interact easily across different platforms — and for game developers, and calls on the video game industry to make every effort to make the fullest possible use of this feature; notes more generally the opportunities and new perspectives generated by access to creative expression and cultural content, in particular for minors and younger children; calls on the Commission to continue to act to improve Europe's digital infrastructure, which supports not only the creative industries in developing high-quality content, but also European citizens’ access to those culturally significant works;
30.
Believes that many people use video games not only as a leisure activity, but also as mental exercises, such as by solving demanding tasks and puzzles, engaging in contests with other players that require a high level of concentration and developing skills such as problem-solving, spatial and hand-eye coordination, teamwork, visual acuity and speed;
31.
Proposes to organise a yearly EU online video game award at Parliament in Brussels — the European Award in online video games — in order to highlight the importance for the European digital single market of companies producing online video games, many of which are SMEs, in terms of jobs, growth, innovation and the promotion of European values; considers that the award should aim to promote online video games that are respectful of consumers’ rights or that have a positive impact on specific areas, such as education, or on the development of skills;
32.
Welcomes the innovative EU Kids Online research project, which gathers high-quality data from across Europe on children’s perspectives on their online experiences; calls for more frequent updates to this world-leading initiative; calls on the Commission to fund this and similar initiatives in the future;
33.
Stresses that online video games are important for education, as they can be a useful tool during learning processes, and that many games are specifically designed for educational purposes, such as to provoke debate about societal issues or to improve understanding of historical or cultural events; recalls that video games feature on national educational curricula; notes that commercial video games are also used for educational purposes; points out that video games are also used to develop critical thinking and skills and to stimulate creativity; stresses too that video games have further applications later in life, as they may offer mental stimulation and opportunities for connectivity for older persons;
34.
Stresses that playing online video games excessively can have a negative impact on social relations, work, school drop-out rates, physical and mental health and poor academic performance, while research also shows that video games may have a positive impact; emphasises therefore the need to strike a healthy balance;
35.
Stresses that video game addiction, also known as ‘gaming disorder’, is a problem for some players; notes that the WHO has classified gaming disorder as a form of addiction characterised by impaired control over gaming, increased priority given to gaming over other activities to the extent that gaming takes precedence over other interests and daily activities, and continued or escalated gaming despite negative consequences;
(31)
Bloomberg, ‘Games Industry Unites to Promote World Health Organization Messages Against COVID-19; Launch #PlayApart Together Campaign’, 10 April 2020.