Parents in China Sold Their Children for Video Games

[Esmeralda Portillo]

Parents in China Sold Their Children for Video Games

A Chinese couple is accused of selling their children for money that they then used for video games.

Filed under the category of "horrible things awful people do," two Chinese parents are facing serious charges for selling their children to feed their free-to-play gaming fix.

The parents, A Hui and A Mei, sold their children to child traffickers to receive money for internet cafes and to buy items in free-to-play games. According to the couple, who spoke to a local television station behind bars in a detention center, their first child was unplanned and they didn't have the means to support the child financially. Instead, they chose to receive compensation from child traffickers.

When A Mei was pregnant again, they faced the same issue as before of not being able to support a growing family, and again they exchanged their child for money. A Hui's father found out about their discretions and reported them to the police. The couple is now awaiting trial.

Free-to-play games are currently very popular in China. Additionally, at the beginning of this year China lifted their 14-year-old ban on video game consoles [http://money.cnn.com/2014/01/08/technology/china-video-games/].

Source: Complex [http://www.complex.com/video-games/2014/07/chinese-parenst-sell-children-to-acquire-funds-for-video-games]


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[AntiChri5]

The last three parts of that title aren't necessary. What they spent the cash on doesn't matter. What they did is beyond abhorrent and they deserve serious punishment. But i can't shake the feeling that if they had spent the money on watches and jewelry or something we wouldn't be hearing about this.

 

[lacktheknack]

The last three parts of that title aren't necessary. What they spent the cash on doesn't matter. What they did is beyond abhorrent and they deserve serious punishment. But i can't shake the feeling that if they had spent the money on watches and jewelry or something we wouldn't be hearing about this.

We wouldn't. We're a general geekery site, so we only get stories involving stuff involving the five tabs at the top of this thread.

OT: Urrrrrgh. What the hell is going on in China that makes this unthinkable stuff happen?

 

[Somethingfake]

Again? Hasn't this kind of story come from China before?

Man, I'm getting jaded if all I can think is *again?*

 

[Dinosorcerer]

Again? Hasn't this kind of story come from China before?

Man, I'm getting jaded if all I can think is *again?*

Yeah, this happened over the iphone some time ago. I think critical miss covered it.

 

[CrazyGirl17]

Jesus Christ what the hell is wrong with some people? I'm starting to think that some people should get a licence to be parents...

 

[CardinalPiggles]

Selling your children to traffickers is one thing, but using the money on Free to Play games? Come on that's just absurd. At least buy some Humble Bundles or something.

(I am actually very sad to hear about this FYI).

 

[Briantb]

Reasons why I should never have children ever #52024: My first thought when I read this was "huh, that's a good idea."

Serusiously?

The last three parts of that title aren't necessary. What they spent the cash on doesn't matter. What they did is beyond abhorrent and they deserve serious punishment. But i can't shake the feeling that if they had spent the money on watches and jewelry or something we wouldn't be hearing about this.

We wouldn't. We're a general geekery site, so we only get stories involving stuff involving the five tabs at the top of this thread.

OT: Urrrrrgh. What the hell is going on in China that makes this unthinkable stuff happen?

Human trafficking is more common then most people would like to think. Wasn't to long ago the FBI arrest around 1500 for children traffacicing and related offense in the United States.

 

[CriticalMiss]

No doubt EA are already planning to capitalise on this news by allowing cash cows mobile gamers swap their children for in-game currency, then using those children in sweatshops producing other free-to-play games and DLC for The Sims 4. One toddler will get you two Sim-toddlers. Such value!

Captcha: be nice. FINE! Since when were you on EA's side captcha?

These people are horrible and I don't want to imagine the shit their former children must be going through. I hope they get the book thrown at them. A large, leatherbound book with pointy brass bits on the corners.

 

[youji itami]

China again! I guess having 30% more people than live in the entire North and South American continents means you get your fair share of crazy's.

 

[Xan Krieger]

Reasons why I should never have children ever #52024: My first thought when I read this was "huh, that's a good idea."

You're not the only one, that was also my first thought. Does that make us horrible people?

OT: China being China again, this stuff just seems normal coming from there.

 

[Sigmund Av Volsung]

...

I have no words for this. There is nothing positive I can get from this. This is just awful. It's beyond redemption and it's fucking abhorrent.

 

[lacktheknack]

Reasons why I should never have children ever #52024: My first thought when I read this was "huh, that's a good idea."

Serusiously?

The last three parts of that title aren't necessary. What they spent the cash on doesn't matter. What they did is beyond abhorrent and they deserve serious punishment. But i can't shake the feeling that if they had spent the money on watches and jewelry or something we wouldn't be hearing about this.

We wouldn't. We're a general geekery site, so we only get stories involving stuff involving the five tabs at the top of this thread.

OT: Urrrrrgh. What the hell is going on in China that makes this unthinkable stuff happen?

Human trafficking is more common then most people would like to think. Wasn't to long ago the FBI arrest around 1500 for children traffacicing and related offense in the United States.

Yeah, but I'm assuming the vast majority of that was via kidnapping.

The "unthinkable" part was the parents selling their own children for luxury items.

 

[lacktheknack]

Reasons why I should never have children ever #52024: My first thought when I read this was "huh, that's a good idea."

You're not the only one, that was also my first thought. Does that make us horrible people?

Yes, actually. If you would honestly consider selling someone into slavery entirely because they're young, that would make you a very, very awful person.

 

[The Great JT]

This should not be the first time I've heard this happened. Why does this have to be a recurring thing?

 

[Zykon TheLich_v1legacy]

Yeah...I'm gonna take this one with a pinch of salt, a good deal of these "man in china does x" turn out to be bullshit.

 

[MCerberus]

For a second I was expecting this to be Tenecent's new hiring plan.

 

[UsefulPlayer 1]

I don't really get the " didn't have the means to support the child financially" and then the "to feed their free-to-play gaming fix" parts.

Like it's hard to put them together.

I wonder what game they were playing.

 

[Erik Zarkov]

My wife and I currently live in China. We hope one day to adopt. Every now and then when we tell this to one of the locals they ask us why we just don't go into the country side and buy a child. The thing is, they aren't joking. They're completely serious. Usually it only comes up when my wife talks really passionately about it, and then goes into issues we're having with trying to adopt, and the person we're talking with is trying to be helpful and offer and solution to our problem.