French President Emmanuel Macron has publicly criticized video games and social networks for teaching young people bad things, and called on parents to strengthen supervision to prevent them from becoming addicted to games and social media and neglecting real life. The remarks sparked widespread controversy, especially among the gamer community.
However, not long ago, on September 16, Macron issued a long article via Twitter clarifying his position. He said his previous criticisms were directed at the violence itself, not the video games. He worries that criminals may use video games to downplay real-life violence on social networks.
Macron emphasized the importance of video games in French society, viewing them as an integral part. He mentioned the "Assassin's Creed" series developed by a French game company as an example, pointing out that video games not only create job opportunities, but also breed many talents in the game industry, and also achieve the dreams and future of young people.
He said that video games represent a culture, a form of entertainment, and a kind of wonder. Macron pledged to take concrete actions to support the continued development of the video game industry.
