[Ammi]

A Health Minister last night led calls for a ban on ‘dangerous’ mobile phone apps that encourage young people to binge-drink.

Norman Lamb, the Lib Dem Minister for Care, called on Google and Apple to launch an urgent investigation into ‘irresponsible’ drinking games sold through their online markets, which could fuel drink-related health problems and anti-social behaviour.

The intervention came after a Mail on Sunday investigation uncovered hundreds of alcohol-related apps and promotions on social media sites that critics say target youngsters and popularise excessive drinking

This newspaper identified more than 340 alcohol-related apps available to download on the Google and Apple stores.

Some of them have been downloaded tens of thousands of times by British users, many of whom are suspected to be under the age of 18

Examples of drinking games online include Let’s Get Wasted on Google Play, which has been downloaded 8,000 times in the UK, either for free or for just 83p.

Players tap in the types of alcohol they have to hand and choose a cartoon character as their avatar

The game then selects a player roulette-style and they are instructed to drink what the app suggests. Volumes are decided at random.

Players monitor their alcohol levels through stages including ‘tipsy’, ‘boozy’, ‘well-oiled’, ‘drunk’ and ‘loaded.’

If a player refuses a drink, the game makes a ‘chicken’ noise. The winner is the first to reach the final stage of ‘wasted’.

Developer Chris Gabler, 23, from Vienna, said: ‘I was looking at the Play store for a drinking game so I decided to make my own.

‘The responses were very positive. On a weekend, about 2,500 people all over the world play my drinking game.’

Other games such as King of Booze and Bomba Drink - both of which are drinking challenges featuring cartoon characters and video game-style graphics - are currently being sold through Apple’s App Store.

A recent Australian study found that the majority of alcohol-related apps for mobile phones or tablet computers fell into ‘entertainment’ categories rather than ‘health’.

Researchers from the Burnet Institute in Melbourne said: ‘The majority of popular alcohol-related apps encouraged alcohol consumption.’

After The Mail on Sunday alerted him to the games, Mr Lamb said: ‘It’s pretty abhorrent and I condemn those organisations because it promotes behaviour which has a massive impact on our A&E departments and police forces.

'The damage that it can do is immense, so I think the people who promote these apps should think again.’

Conservative MP Andrew Percy, a member of the Health Select Committee, called the apps ‘dangerous’ and backed Mr Lamb’s call for a ban.

Ben Shields, 24, whose teenage brother Mark died after drinking three pints of beer and eight double spirits in 40 minutes, said: ‘I’m appalled apps which encourage young people to get wasted are being marketed in their thousands by Google.

‘I have learnt first-hand just how dangerous alcohol can be.’

Google said: ‘Apps that focus on consumption or sale of alcohol must be rated “high maturity” so parents can control their children’s access to them.’

Apple last night declined to comment






http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...ted-games.html

[lostalex]

I'm so sick of politicians blaming media and youth culture for their own failures. We elect politicians to FIX problems, not to point fingers. Anyone can point fingers, it takes real leaders to actually FIX problems. The Apps exist because youth drinking culture exists, not the other way around.

Binge drinking has been a problem in the UK for decades, since before the internet and smart phones ever even existed, so for them to blame it on an App is just ****ing retarded.

[arista]

Yes Something is Wrong
here.


Apple must sort this

[lostalex]

Originally Posted by arista

Yes Something is Wrong
here.


Apple must sort this

I agree, why is the black girl down-voted so much? thats racist!

[Nedusa]

More Nanny state nonsense, you cannot run people's lives and try and decide what they should see or not see. Clearly these games will attract people who would probably binge drink in any case so I think this concern though well meaning is a little misplaced.

I am more concerned at violent computer games being given to 12 year olds

[Samm]

I've played it is not good at all

[MTVN]

Bit of a dumb article, drinking games have always been around, this isn't anything new it's just not surprising that with the rise of social media they've now taken the form of an app

[Ammi]

Originally Posted by SamP

I've played it is not good at all

..you were probably too drunk, Sam..try playing it again when you're sober...





....

[Samm]

Originally Posted by Ammi

..you were probably too drunk, Sam..try playing it again when you're sober...





....

I don't drink

[smeagol]

no such thing as binge drinking. its pathetic 3 drinks your binge drinker lol wtf
just sad boring people trying to stop others enjoying themselves.

if they care so much they should get down to coronation street and eastenders and emmerdale they spend most of there time in the pub drinking usually during work hours lol
now thats encouraging drinking haha

[Jamesy]

Ban drinking game apps > teens go to drinking game websites > ban drinking game websites > oops too late government, teens know the games off by heart now.

Pointing fingers and saying they're going to ban things left right and centre is all good... but does it fix the binge drinking problems in the UK? No. You may as well have monkeys running the government.

Anyway, it's the Daily Fail... they always come out with crap articles.

[Niall]

Like others have said, drinking games will still exist even if this app is banned. Just because one exists in an electronic format it doesn't follow that it's more dangerous than any of the others..

[Kizzy]

There have always been these games but the cartoon content might make it appeal to a younger audience? That's a bit worrying.

[user104658]

Originally Posted by Kizzy

There have always been these games but the cartoon content might make it appeal to a younger audience? That's a bit worrying.

Oh come on, 13+ year olds are not interested in cartoons and I very much doubt we're at any real risk of a generation of boozing 6 year olds... These games are obviously aimed at student-aged people (18 to 23) and, as has been mentioned, countless drinking games have been around for a lot longer than these apps. I was playing them at University 10 years ago, when everyone was gobsmacked by a phone that had a 16-colour screen. I still had a Nokia 3210 which could call, text, play snake and not much else!

It's not a few drinking games in the wild university days that are the risk to health with alcohol. It's this country's awful "home drinking" habits, where daddy having a beer or mummy a glass of wine EVERY BLOODY NIGHT infront of the TV "to relax and unwind" is seen as normal.

[Kizzy]

Originally Posted by Toy Soldier

Oh come on, 13+ year olds are not interested in cartoons and I very much doubt we're at any real risk of a generation of boozing 6 year olds... These games are obviously aimed at student-aged people (18 to 23) and, as has been mentioned, countless drinking games have been around for a lot longer than these apps. I was playing them at University 10 years ago, when everyone was gobsmacked by a phone that had a 16-colour screen. I still had a Nokia 3210 which could call, text, play snake and not much else!

It's not a few drinking games in the wild university days that are the risk to health with alcohol. It's this country's awful "home drinking" habits, where daddy having a beer or mummy a glass of wine EVERY BLOODY NIGHT infront of the TV "to relax and unwind" is seen as normal.

No you 'come on'...
Some cartoons are aimed specifically at 13- 18+, simpsons ( as featured in the app) family guy, american dad, futerama, south park....
I don't really care what you did at uni, my point was and is the cartoon content may encourage under 18s to use the app.
If you don't agree that's up to you.