To encourage families in Singapore to adopt healthy digital habits, the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) and Chinese tech company Tencent have teamed up to launch a new digital well-being campaign on Saturday (May 2).
Beyond the Screen: Healthy Digital Play aims to do so by “bringing families into the conversation and strengthening real-world connection through healthy gameplay.”
According to a joint media statement, the campaign will help families bridge the gap between play and purpose through gaming.
It will also showcase how gaming can foster deeper understanding, facilitate balanced routines, and build stronger connections between parents and their children at home.
At the campaign’s launch at Ci Yuan Community Club on Saturday morning, families participated in gamified quiz experiences.
They also took home educational materials designed to transform gaming into healthier routines at home.
In addition, participants attended a parenting talk that shared practical guidance on utilising games as a bridge for conversation at home.
The session highlighted how gaming can be used to support the development of soft skills such as communication, teamwork, strategic thinking, and persistence when guided by constructive routines.
“Healthy gaming is not built through one-off rules. It grows through rapport, shared understanding, and everyday conversations,” said Narasimman S/O Tivasiha Mani, a psychotherapist and co-founder of local youth charity Impart.
“Through a collaborative process between educators, families, and the wider community, it becomes easier to set shared expectations and support balanced habits that carry beyond the screen.”
The campaign’s launch was officiated by Jasmin Lau, Minister of State for Digital Development and Information.
“In today’s world, parenting is very tough. Many of us don’t quite have the time as working parents to spend with our children, to engage them and play, and to bring them outdoors,” Lau said.
“So, we are trying to do more now this year in terms of running workshops in the community to help more parents understand what are some practical tips they can apply with their children, in terms of parental controls on the devices, as well as conversations they can have with their own children.”
The event hosted social service organisations from Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, and the Philippines.
IMDA and Tencent also signed an agreement to strengthen collaboration on digital well-being initiatives, in support of the national Digital for Life (DfL) movement, which promotes online safety and healthy digital habits among youths, parents, and families.
As part of the agreement, Tencent will co-develop educational content with IMDA and organise four community outreach activities, reaching out to an estimated 4,000 participants.
The tech company will commit $25,000 to the initiative, which totals to $50,000 with the government’s dollar-to-dollar matching.
Beyond the Screen is also part of Tencent’s broader commitment to foster intentional gaming, which aims to equip youths, parents, and educators with practical resources to build balanced routines and encourage respectful interactions and open communication.
“Digital spaces are already a natural part of how young people learn, play, and connect today,” said Murphy Zhao, country manager of Tencent Singapore and head of tech group at Tencent Games.
“As a company with deep expertise across digital entertainment and communications, we want to play a constructive role by helping families build meaningful digital habits that extend beyond the screen.”
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daoen.wong@asiaone.com
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