https://sputnikglobe.com/20230803/china-seeks-to-limit-children-to-2-hours-on-cell-phones-per-day-1112371129.html
China Seeks to Limit Children to 2 Hours on Cell Phones Per Day
China Seeks to Limit Children to 2 Hours on Cell Phones Per Day
Sputnik International
China’s top internet regulator has proposed a new rule that would limit the amount of time minors can spend on cell phones each day.
2023-08-03T16:43+0000
2023-08-03T16:43+0000
2023-08-03T16:43+0000
world
china
social media
children
regulators
mental health
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The proposed rule was announced on Wednesday by the Cyberspace Administration of China and would require all mobile devices, apps, and app stores to include a “minor mode” that would limit users under the age of 18 to a maximum of two hours on the device per day - even less for younger age cohorts.In addition, no users under 18 would be able to access their devices between the hours of 10pm and 6am under the new rule.All the restrictions would be able to be overridden by parents, and they would not restrict access to emergency services, either.The public has until September 2 to comment on the new rule proposal.One mother who spoke with US media said the rule proposal was a smart move, since children have trouble with self-control and it makes parents' jobs easier. Others simply pointed out that children will try to use their parents' accounts instead.Similar proposals have been made in the United States, such as Utah, which passed a law earlier this year requiring children to get parental approval to use social media. It has been opposed by critics who say it limits free speech and is ultimately unenforceable.The rule proposal has come amid a rise in internet addiction among children as well as concerns about the impact of social media on the mental health of users, especially children. Chinese media have also voiced fears that too much screen time is responsible for a rise in nearsightedness and a lack of exposure to sunlight.“Social media platforms are often designed to maximize user engagement, which has the potential to encourage excessive use and behavioral dysregulation,” it noted, adding that according to one recent model, “nearly a third (31%) of social media use may be attributable to self-control challenges magnified by habit formation.”That can have an especially negative impact on girls, 32% of whom a 2020 study by Meta* found they felt worse about their bodies due to using the company’s Instagram app. The company also tracked an increase in suicidal thoughts among teens who used the app. The studies were published in US media in a report that noted the company then used that information to make a concerted push to bring in new younger users.Indeed, news of China’s proposed new rule set off stock losses among numerous Chinese tech firms, including Tencent, Wechat, Bilibili, Kuaishou, and Weibo. China has a little over 1 billion internet users, one-fifth of whom are under the age of 19.*Banned in Russia for extremist activity
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china; cell phone; social media; children
china; cell phone; social media; children
China Seeks to Limit Children to 2 Hours on Cell Phones Per Day
China's top internet regulator has proposed a new rule that would limit the amount of time minors can spend on cell phones each day.
The proposed rule was announced on Wednesday by the Cyberspace Administration of China and would require all mobile devices, apps, and app stores to include a “minor mode” that would limit users under the age of 18 to a maximum of two hours on the device per day - even less for younger age cohorts.
For children under age eight, that time would be just 40 minutes per day, while children between the ages of eight and 16 would get one hour of screentime; only teenagers between 16 and 18 would get the full two hours. All would get a popup reminder after 30 minutes about the importance of resting their device.
In addition, no users under 18 would be able to access their devices between the hours of 10pm and 6am under the new rule.
All the restrictions would be able to be overridden by parents, and they would not restrict access to emergency services, either.
Finally, the regulator encourages tech makers to create content that "disseminates core socialist values" and "forges a sense of community of the Chinese nation."
The public has until September 2 to comment on the new rule proposal.
One mother who spoke with US media said the rule proposal was a smart move, since children have trouble with self-control and it makes parents' jobs easier. Others simply pointed out that children will try to use their parents' accounts instead.
Some Chinese tech companies have already adopted their own "teenage modes" on their apps, such as ByteDance, Bilibili and Kuaishou, which limit time on their apps for younger users.
Similar proposals have been made in the United States,
such as Utah, which passed a law earlier this year requiring children to get parental approval to use social media. It has been opposed by critics who say it limits free speech and is ultimately unenforceable.
The rule proposal has come amid a rise in internet addiction among children as well as concerns about the impact of social media on the mental health of users, especially children. Chinese media have also voiced fears that too much screen time is responsible for a rise in nearsightedness and a lack of exposure to sunlight.
"Excessive and problematic use of social media can harm children and adolescents by disrupting important healthy behaviors," said a US Department of Health and Human Services report on mental health and social media use among youth.
“Social media platforms are often designed to maximize user engagement, which has the potential to encourage excessive use and behavioral dysregulation,” it noted, adding that according to one recent model, “nearly a third (31%) of social media use may be attributable to self-control challenges magnified by habit formation.”
That can have an especially negative impact on girls, 32% of whom a 2020 study by Meta* found they felt worse about their bodies due to using the company’s Instagram app. The company also tracked an increase in suicidal thoughts among teens who used the app. The studies were published in US media in a report that noted the company then used that information to make a concerted push to bring in new younger users.
Indeed, news of China’s proposed new rule set off
stock losses among numerous Chinese tech firms, including Tencent, Wechat, Bilibili, Kuaishou, and Weibo. China has a little over 1 billion internet users, one-fifth of whom are under the age of 19.
*Banned in Russia for extremist activity
