The Philippine government has taken the extraordinary step of banning a video game following evidence linking it to a school shooting. Sources confirm that the game, a first-person shooter, was found on the devices of the perpetrator. The decision has sent shockwaves through the gaming industry and sparked a fierce debate on digital responsibility.
In the UK, cyber safety experts have stepped forward with guidance for parents and policymakers. They emphasise that while games can be a scapegoat, the real issue lies in unmonitored access and lack of digital literacy. Banning is a blunt instrument,"
one expert told me. We need to understand the ecosystem that allows such content to reach vulnerable minds." The Philippines' move is unprecedented in Southeast Asia.
But as this journalist has learned, following the money often reveals uncomfortable truths. The game's publisher, a multinational corporation, has seen its stock dip. Investors are spooked.
The company's response has been characteristically evasive: a statement expressing sympathy but no admission of responsibility. Meanwhile, UK authorities are reportedly reviewing their own digital safety frameworks. This is not a call for censorship, but for accountability.
The bodies pile up, and we keep asking the same questions. The difference this time is that someone, somewhere, is finally saying 'enough'.
