After the Tik Tok app was banned recently in India, there is a likelihood of multiplayer video game, PUBG, also being banned especially since the civil societies and state administrations in various parts of the country have raised the alarm on the serious health consequences the video game can have on youth.
The Rajkot Police in Gujarat has submitted an application to Google to take down PUBG from its play store citing the reason of detrimental effects the game has on the youth. Google, although is yet to respond formally to the Rajkot Police's request.
Recently after a Madras High Court directive, the Apple and Google took down PUBG from their play stores after a complaint that the youth are using the mobile app to spread pornography and other illicit activities.
Both Tik Tok and PUBG have millions of users in India and a particular favourite among the youth.
Rajkot recently said that it has banned the PUBG game in the city and asked Google to take down the online multiplayer battle royale game from its play store.
"We have said we have banned this, so if possible, if in any IP of this area they are downloading the game then we have said, stop it if you can," Manoj Aggarwal, Rajkot police commissioner, Manoj Agrawal, told Firstpost.
The Gujarat Police had booked 10 people in March for playing PUBG under Section 188 of the Indian Penal Code and warned that any person found playing the game will be prosecuted.
Amid the reports of PUBG ban after Tik Tok, Twitter seemingly cannot keep calm.
The parents and the educationists have expressed fears that these mobile apps are creating a bad precedent before the young kids and affecting their academics.
Plz dont pubg and tiktok becoz of them so many are happy make them happy plz ban exams pic.twitter.com/CqRRlZdhXO
— 『Deadshot☣︎ ヅ』 (@karthik85893273) April 19, 2019
"I am totally fed-up with this game #Pubg. Last 2 months my nephew is note even sleeping properly he start talking in sleep and some time start walking, He got addicted for this #PUBG game..Please ban this game @narendramodi ji..there are lots of family facing the same prblm," tweeted Gaurav Pandit.
"It's not about TikTok. It's about the larger message. Today it's TikTok, PUBG's ban is imminent, porn & Reddit have already been banned by Jio. Every goddamn thing is getting banned in the internet. India doesn't have freedom of speech. We have a China like censorship," Ankit Sharma said in a tweet.
"A kind request to Prime Minister Modi @narendramodi... Sir I have seen my friends wasting their time playing Pubg , the time which they would have utilised doing something productive. They do not listen to me or to their parents. Please sir, ban Pubg for their good," Saumyanta Sharma tweeted.
India may soon join Nepal and Iraq as the countries who have taken a lead to ban PUBG.
