Young people play online games in Ha Noi's Hai Ba Trung District. Internet service providers have been asked to block access to online games between 10pm and 8am by March 3. — VNA/VNS Photo Minh TuThe Ministry of Information and Communication has asked internet service providers to block access to on-line games each day from 10pm to 8am by March 3.

The request, made on Wednesday, is another move from the authority to mitigate the side effects of online games.

"Provincial departments of information and communication will inspect on-line games activities nationwide and deal with organisations that violate regulations by cancelling their services," said the ministry's Deputy Minister Le Nam Thang.

Internet management should be improved in a way that both meets the demand for information and ensures internet security while not affecting the lifestyle and customs of young people, said Thang.

The request follows numerous stiff measures by the ministry to tackle the issue, including cutting internet access to agents at night beginning last September.

Some on-line game service providers like VTC Intercom and Asiasoft said that the (internet access block) measure reduced entertainment access to adults who have paid a lot for internet access.

They also said it created difficulties for the maintenance of on-line games.

In addition to the temporary measure for on-line gaming and internet agency management, the ministry plans to revise the decree this year in order to make improvements in the near future.

Viet Nam currently has around 23 million internet users, accounting for 26 per cent of the total population, according to the ministry. 

Source: VNS