Jordan’s launch of a national campaign to address the digital risks linked to electronic gaming recognises a reality that many families already live with every day, and that is children are no longer only playing games. They are entering digital spaces where entertainment, social interaction, commercial pressure, competition and risk often meet.

This reality requires a serious national response. It is no longer enough to treat electronic gaming as a private matter left entirely to families, or as harmless entertainment outside the concern of public policy. The digital environment has become part of childhood itself. That means child protection must extend into that environment with the same seriousness applied to schools, playgrounds and public spaces.

The campaign launched by Generations For Peace under the slogan “Gaming Is Their Right, Their Safety Is Our Responsibility”, carries the right message. It does not demonise gaming, nor should it. Electronic games have become part of childhood and youth culture across the world. They can develop coordination, problem-solving, teamwork and digital skills. For many children, they are also a form of leisure, friendship and belonging.

But rights must be matched with protection. The question is not whether children should play. The question is whether they are playing in environments that are safe, age-appropriate and properly supervised.

Too often, public discussions around digital platforms move between two extremes: either panic that calls for blanket restrictions, or indifference that leaves children alone in spaces they are not equipped to navigate. Neither approach is enough. Jordan needs a balanced national response that respects children’s right to digital participation while reducing the risks that come with it.

Those risks are not theoretical because online gaming can expose children to harmful content, cyberbullying, addictive patterns of use, inappropriate contact with strangers, aggressive communication, scams, in-game spending pressures and unhealthy sleep habits. Some risks affect behaviour; others affect emotional wellbeing, school performance and family relationships. When children are young, impulsive or socially vulnerable, the risks become even more serious.

This is why the campaign’s focus on awareness, behavioural change and community protection is important. Parents need practical guidance on how to set privacy controls, how to recognise warning signs, how to talk to children without creating fear or secrecy and how to distinguish between healthy gaming and harmful overuse. Schools also play an important role in this effort to protect our children from the risks of online gaming. Schools need tools to teach digital safety as part of life skills, not as an occasional lecture and they need to educate children that online spaces have rules, consequences and boundaries, just like physical spaces.

The gaming industry, technology platforms and local content communities also have responsibilities. Safety cannot be placed entirely on families after the harm has already entered the home. Age ratings, reporting mechanisms, moderation, spending limits, privacy settings and clear Arabic-language guidance should be part of any serious child-safety framework. Where children are targeted as users, their protection should not be treated as optional.

Jordan also has an opportunity to connect this campaign to a wider digital literacy agenda. The country is investing in youth, innovation, entrepreneurship and the digital economy. That ambition requires not only technical skills, but responsible digital citizenship. A generation that can code, create and compete online must also be able to recognise manipulation, protect privacy, manage screen time and engage respectfully in digital communities.

Children’s digital environments shape their attention, behaviour, confidence, language, values and sense of safety, therefore protecting them does not mean isolating them from technology. Protecting children means preparing them to use technology wisely and ensuring that the systems around them do not exploit their vulnerability.