VietNamNet Bridge – Reviewing the Internet world in Vietnam this year, online games and clips are highlights.

Online games: a crime?

The good and the bad aspects of online games were analyzed a long time ago but online games became a widely discussed topic in 2010 when the Ministry of Information and Communications showed its determination to address the negative consequences of online gaming.

Those who supported the development of online games presented evidences of their advantageous effects: online games enhance the connection among family members, helps raise IQ and require strategic thinking, etc.

Those who protested online games showed evidences about the short and long-run harmful effects of online games: impacts on gamers’ health, spirit, career and even fatal consequences.

However, neither side could show convincing proofs which would be based on scientific research.

So far, Vietnam has not conducted any comprehensive survey of the impact of online games. The Ministry of Information and Communications instructed t local departments of to conduct the survey of adverse impacts of online games but this was not seriously carried out.

So far it has been decided that Internet cafes must be located at least 200m away from schools, not to be advertised on the media and Internet café must close from 11 pm to 6 am.

The good year of offensive clips

2010 is the year for violent and sex clips on the Internet. These are real clips about the true life which revealed the dark side of society. In these clips, schoolgirls battled with each other, a baby-sitter tortured a baby, teachers insulted their students, etc.

The education sector should be criticized the most because most of the black clips feature evils in schools.

After a clip about the fight among schoolgirls from a secondary school in Hanoi appeared on the Internet in March 2010, many other clips shooting the fights of schoolgirls from Phu Tho, Phu Yen, Quang Ngai, Dien Bien, Quang Ninh and Nghe An were posted. In these clips, a group of girls beat a girl which was witnessed by many students.

According to a report about school violence released in September, more than 1500 student fights were reported from January to September 2010, including seven cases ending with deaths.

Some teachers’ “ugly” moments were also filmed and posted on the Internet. In these clips, teachers insulted their students.

Many sex clips with teen characters were also available on the net.

Technology is not bad. All depends on how it is used. On the other side, thanks to technology, the truth is revealed. However, once something is uploaded on the net, nobody can delete it completely.

Thanh Hoa