Goa schools asked to discourage Tik Tok, PUBG among students

Panaji: Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Monday said schools in the state have been directed to discourage students from downloading video-sharing app Tik Tok and multiplayer combat game PUBG on their mobile phones.

The app and the game create a "safety and security" issue for children in the state, he said. Replying to a question tabled by Congress member Ravi Naik in the state Assembly, Sawant said a circular has been issued to schools by the education director in the matter.

According to the circular, awareness needs to be created among parents, guardians and children about the ill- effects of the use of Tik Tok app and playing PUBG game. "The app and the game create an issue of safety and security of children in the state of Goa," says the circular.

Amid concerns being raised about the addictive nature of Tik Tok and PUBG, the Madras High Court in May imposed a ban on the video-sharing app in response to a petition. The petition alleged that Tik Tok -- which allows shooting and sharing of short videos -- could make pornographic content easily accessible. The ban was later lifted.