Online Games Blamed for Increasing Child Crime Victims
The Japanese police have reported a growing number of children becoming victims of crimes committed by individuals they meet through online games.
According to the National Police Agency, a total of 1,486 minors under the age of 18 fell victim to crimes linked to social media usage in 2024. Among these cases, online gaming was responsible for the deaths of 98 children, marking an increase of nine compared to 2023. More than half of these victims—56—were middle school students, while 22 were elementary school students and 18 were high school students.
The agency highlighted that online games allow anonymous participants to easily engage in voice chats or text messaging. This environment fosters friendships between children and their gaming partners or admiration for players with advanced skills, which can be exploited by potential criminals.
In January of this year, a 17-year-old high school student was persuaded by someone he met through an online game to seek employment abroad. He ultimately ended up working for a phone scam group operating in Myanmar.
The Japanese police have advised parents to enable parental controls on their children's social media accounts. They also emphasized the importance of warning children about the dangers of sharing contact information with strangers on gaming platforms.
Source: NHK Japan
