One of the world’s biggest nations, China is getting serious about internet addiction among the youth, introducing a proposal for tighter screen time regulations. The move aims to foster “good morality” and “socialist values” in youngsters, according to a statement from the Cyberspace Administration of China, the nation’s primary internet watchdog.
This will introduce a ‘minor mode’ to limit daily screen time and prevent harmful content
The new measures will necessitate a “minor mode” in all mobile devices, apps, and app stores. This mode will limit daily screen time, varying by age group, to a maximum of two hours. The mandate expands on earlier efforts by Beijing to curtail children’s screen time and limit their exposure to “undesirable information.”
Under these proposed regulations, now open for public consultation until September 2, minors will find their applications automatically closing once they hit their allotted time. The minor mode will also offer “age-based content,” preventing access to screens between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m.
Screen time allowances will differ according to age groups: under eights will be restricted to 40 minutes per day, eight to sixteen-year-olds to an hour, and teenagers between sixteen and eighteen will have two hours. Devices will issue a reminder to rest every 30 minutes of use.
In addition, mobile internet service providers are encouraged to generate content that promotes “core socialist values” and creates a sense of national unity. The proposed measures, however, are not absolute – parents can override time restrictions, and the time limits will not apply to certain educational and emergency services.
Internet addiction has become a pressing social issue in China, leading to a contentious industry of rehabilitation centres offering dubious treatment methods. Despite concerns, some parents endorse the new proposal. They believe it will foster healthier screen habits and expose children to more beneficial content.
China has a colossal internet user base, with nearly 1.07 billion of its 1.4 billion population online. An estimated one in five of these users is under 19. The success of these measures may rely heavily on parental cooperation, as children sometimes access online content using their parents’ accounts.
This development could pose difficulties for tech firms expected to implement these regulations. It follows a prolonged regulatory crackdown on China’s tech giants, a phase that appears to be winding down. Nevertheless, the proposal initially led to a sharp drop in share prices for top internet firms.
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(Via)
