Under new restrictions published by the Chinese government on Wednesday aimed at battling internet addiction, Chinese kids and teenagers will no longer be able to access the internet at night and their smartphone use will be restricted.
According to the forthcoming regulations, which will be implemented on September 2 after a period of public consultation , those below the age of 18 will be prohibited from accessing the internet via mobile devices during the hours of 10 pm and 6 am.
A hierarchical framework will be implemented to regulate the duration of smartphone usage, with a range of 40 minutes a day allocated for individuals below the age of eight, and a maximum of two hours permitted for 16- and 17-year-olds.
The proposed regulations, put forth by the Cyberspace Administration of China, are among the most rigorous globally.
Parents will have the option to circumvent these measures if they so desire.
The CAC said the rules would “improve the positive role of the internet, create a favourable network environment, prevent and intervene in minors’ internet addiction problems, and guide minors to form good internet use habits”.
The proposed steps will further enhance current initiatives aimed at bolstering the online safeguarding of kids. These efforts include augmenting age-appropriate content and mitigating the impact of misinformation.
