Thread by @aarambhindia

In an action that is wrong-headed in every possible way, the Gujarat police have arrested 16 young people for playing an online multiplayer game game.

In that light, a thread- What we have got wrong about #PUBG, we have been getting wrong about young people.

#PUBGban (1/11)

Arresting youth for playing #PUBG/gaming is a new low. Even for a country that has successfully criminalized adolescence and regularly puts young people behind bars for expressing consensual desire. (2/11)

One can chalk the #PUBG arrests to the fact that police are confused by new media or as a cynical attempt at publicity. But it is part of a larger ever-present narrative:

In which the state wants to control what young people eat, read, how they act, think & how they play (3/11)

There is no sound basis for the police's actions. What is the problem - is it addiction? Is it the in-game violence? Is it abusive language on forums? Is it a threat to security, democracy etc?

#ProblemKyaHai??? And how does banning solve the problem? (4/11)

By banning #PUBG, the police is willfully leading children into risky territory. Each time they play, they will break the law & court arrest. They will learn how to circumvent the ban & access it through risky platforms. #ForWhatJoy (5/11)

If the state has a problem with #PUBG, why is it arresting the users? Why can't it go into talks with the company? Why should the onus be on young people to 'act right' but not the corporate?

Why not play with the big guys? Why target the vulnerable? (6/11)

This to be compared with the fact that the Internet is full of squads of vile hate-spewing folk who should know better. But the state, instead of cracking down on the abuse & incitement, is in prolonged discussion with platforms to tackle this issue. #hypocrisy (7/11)

Also there is an unmistakable whiff of class-caste bias. Young people in the country have been playing violent video games since the late 80s, early 90s. But it was a middle-class pursuit. Now that #PUBG has crossed over, the state suddenly decides to crack down. (8/11)

And @GujaratPolice Instead of resorting to the punitive and arresting young people, you could have considered promoting awareness and help-seeking as an option. (9/11)

When we work with youth, we offer a platform where they can seek help on the issues that they or their friends are facing online. #PUBG comes up. Children identify problems with it, step up & seek help. Threatening them will only consign them to the dark. (10/11)

If you really want to help children engage in on-ground activities, focus on building public platforms where they have a voice and where they can rest and play and express. But stop criminalizing play. And stop criminalizing young people. (11/11)

Thats all folks.