China suggests limiting kids’ smartphone use to no more than two hours a day
In the latest blow to companies like Tencent and ByteDance, which operate social media platforms and online games, China’s internet authority has proposed laws to limit the amount of time kids spend using smartphones.
The draft rules were posted on the website of the Cyberspace Administration of China on Wednesday. They stipulate that children under the age of 18 will only be permitted to use the internet for two hours per day and that they will not be permitted to use the majority of mobile internet services between the hours of 10 p.m. and 6 a.m.
The maximum amount of time each day for kids between the ages of 8 and 15 would be one hour, while the minimum amount for kids under 8 would be 40 minutes. Only a select few services, such as platforms or applications, that are thought to be acceptable for children’ physical and mental development will be excluded. Which internet services will be eligible for exemptions was not specified by the CAC.
Beijing’s newest measures to combat internet addiction—a condition it sees as being pervasive among its youth—include the limits. Beijing restricted children’s daily online gaming time to 90 minutes in 2019 and further restricted it in 2021, allowing children to play online games just for an hour each day on Fridays, Saturdays, and public holidays.
Platforms for short-form and online video, such Douyin, Bilibili, and Kuaishou, feature youth modes that limit the kind of material presented to children and the amount of time they may spend using the service. Additionally, educational material is promoted to kids, such scientific activities.
The most recent limitations will affect businesses like Tencent, the biggest online gaming provider in China, and ByteDance, which operates Douyin, a well-liked platform for short videos. In China, companies are often in charge of enforcing laws.
The CAC said that it has recently advocated for the creation of a youth mode on internet platforms, increasing its coverage, optimizing its features, and enhancing it with age-appropriate material in order to more effectively reinforce the safety of kids online.
“Since the mode was launched, there has been a positive impact in reducing youth internet addiction and the impact of undesirable information,” it said. Draft guidelines were out for public comment through September 2, according to the CAC. When the new regulations will go into force was not specified.
