No gaming between 10pm and 8am says Vietnam’s government


Posted 2/24/11 : No gaming between 10pm and 8am says Vietnam's government
 
Alarmed by the high incidence of ailments among young people allegedly related to excessive use of the Internet for gaming, the Vietnam government has come up with an unusual solution – impose a curfew through Internet Service Providers on all gaming activity.
 
Public Gaming reports that the Ministry of Information and Communication is the creative brain behind the strategy, which calls for ISPs to shut down all online gaming between the hours of 10 pm and 8 am daily from March 1st this year.
 
Quite how this somewhat draconian ban is to be enforced is not clear, but the Ministry has made threatening noises in its request for ISP cooperation, saying: "Provincial departments of information and communication will inspect online games activities nationwide and deal with organisations that violate regulations by cancelling their services."
 
Deputy Minister Le Nam Thang claims that the new ban will ensure "internet security while not affecting the lifestyle and customs of young people."
 
A previous measure by the ministry cut off Internet access to adult entertainment agents at night, and generated resistance from ISPs like VTC Intercom and Asiasoft, who complained that the previous block, ordered last September, hindered access for adult customers seeking mature entertainment at night.
 
The government has, however, undertaken to review the gaming curfew later this year.