Republican U.S. Senator Josh Hawley presented plans for a bill that would ban microtransactions in both console and mobile games.
Republican U.S. Senator Josh Hawley presented plans for a bill that would ban microtransactions in both console and mobile games, reports The Hill. The bill, The Protecting Children from Abusive Games Act, is about children under the age of 18 years old who are purchasing in-game goods through marketed free-to-play games.
Hawley states that “social media and video games prey on user addiction, siphoning our kids’ attention from the real world and extracting profits from fostering compulsive habits. No matter this business model’s advantages to the tech industry, one thing is clear: There is no excuse for exploiting children through such practices.”
“When a game is designed for kids, game developers shouldn’t be allowed to monetize addiction. And when kids play games designed for adults, they should be walled off from compulsive microtransactions,” Hawley added.
A part of the problem is about parents being unaware their kids are using their credit cards for in-app purchases with numerous complaints recorded at the Federal Trade Commission by parents in such situations.
The Netherland and Belgium are, for example, also known for their attitude towards loot boxes. These countries see some loot boxes in games a method of gambling, and sometimes take steps to remove loot boxes in games.
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