PUBG Mobile is turning 1 year old next week, and the game is already celebrating with some special events. Regrettably, its happy occasion is blemished by an unfortunate event: The game is having legal trouble in India, one of its biggest market. A few days ago, it was banned in Rajkot, India, and now several other cities in the countries have followed suit.
According to a notice from Rajkot Police Commissioner Manoj Agrawal, the ban began on March 9 and will last until April 30.
Right after this, other districts such as Bhavnagar and certain parts of Gir Somnath have also urged for a ban of the battle royale, branding it as “addictive” and unhealthy for minors.
When this ban is in effect, anyone can report a case of someone else playing PUBG to the police, and that person might suffer legal consequences under section 188 of IPC if certain conditions are met.
Section 188 reads that if an individual disobeys an order from a lawful authority AND “if such disobedience causes or tends to cause obstruction, annoyance or injury,” he or she could face a sentence of up to 1 month in prison or a fine of up to Rs 200, or both.
Looking at the wording, it can be seen that these terms are open to interpretation. Just the act of playing the game should not be regarded as a violation by itself. There must be a harm or a risk of harm to accompany it.
The issued statement allegedly highlights that PUBG Mobile causes a change in behaviors among its players over a period of time and encourages violence. It also claims that the game has a negative impact on the academic performance of youngsters. This idea seems pretty far-fetched, though. There has been no proof of a direct connection between aggressive behaviors and video games, and there are many other games on the market that are a lot more violent than PUBG.
Many fans of the game in India have taken to social media to express their distress.
Meanwhile, PUBG has not made any comment on this issue.
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