China to Restrict Smartphone and Internet Use for its Youth

China has put in place strict rules to limit/address internet addiction among young people, especially children and teenagers.

From September 2, those under 18 won’t be able to access the internet on their smartphones between 10 pm and 6 am.

There will also be limits on how much time they can use their mobiles each day – 40 minutes for children under eight, and up to two hours for 16- and 17-year-olds.

These new rules are proposed by the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) and are some of the toughest in the world.

Why this rule? The aim is to control and regulate the time young people spend on smartphones and the internet during specific hours.

However, parents can choose to bypass these restrictions if they want. The CAC believes these rules will improve how young people use the internet, create a safe online environment, and help prevent and address internet addiction among minors.

This is part of China’s effort to protect young people online, including offering age-appropriate content and reducing the influence of harmful information.

In recent years, China has been closely regulating its tech sector, especially regarding how it affects young people. In 2021, they set limits on gaming time for children to tackle addiction and stopped approving new games for a while, impacting companies like Tencent.

Following the announcement of these new rules, the stock prices of several Chinese internet companies, including Tencent and Baidu, dropped. This shows that the Chinese government continues to closely regulate its tech industry.

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