90 Minutes a Day, Until 10 p.m.: China Sets Rules for Young Gamers

[Venustus]

BEIJING — No playing video games after 10 p.m. No more than 90 minutes of gaming on weekdays. Want add-ons like virtual weapons and costumes? Keep it to $57 a month.
The Chinese government has released new rules aimed at curbing video game addiction among young people, a problem that top officials believe is to blame for a rise in nearsightedness and poor academic performance across a broad swath of society.
The regulations, announced by the National Press and Publication Administration on Tuesday, ban users younger than 18 from playing games between 10 p.m. and 8 a.m. They are not permitted to play more than 90 minutes on weekdays and three hours on weekends and holidays.
The limits are the government’s latest attempt to rein in China’s online gaming industry, one of the world’s largest, which generates more than $33 billion in annual revenue and draws hundreds of millions of users.

Read

 

[Handsome Recluse]

Wonder how this worked out?

 

[plat]

Two questions: How would these restrictions be enforced? Via the Internet provider-police? And: what would be the penalty for flouting these restrictions? Isn't there a profile on every Chinese citizen that dictates whether one can ride public transportation, get housing etc?

This is sort of creating a conflicting attitude of mine. In theory, it's commendable. In practice, it's big brother slash government. Yet comparatively, the US is faltering in so many different areas. Wow, very interesting, wish I could read the rest of the article without creating an account.

 

[bribon77]

The question is, how do you know if the player is under 18?

 

[Handsome Recluse]

Two questions: How would these restrictions be enforced? Via the Internet provider-police? And: what would be the penalty for flouting these restrictions? Isn't there a profile on every Chinese citizen that dictates whether one can ride public transportation, get housing etc?

This is sort of creating a conflicting attitude of mine. In theory, it's commendable. In practice, it's big brother slash government. Yet comparatively, the US is faltering in so many different areas. Wow, very interesting, wish I could read the rest of the article without creating an account.

Don't they need identity cards to log in to accounts?

 

[Threadripper]

Two questions: How would these restrictions be enforced? Via the Internet provider-police? And: what would be the penalty for flouting these restrictions? Isn't there a profile on every Chinese citizen that dictates whether one can ride public transportation, get housing etc?

This is sort of creating a conflicting attitude of mine. In theory, it's commendable. In practice, it's big brother slash government. Yet comparatively, the US is faltering in so many different areas. Wow, very interesting, wish I could read the rest of the article without creating an account.

This is what parents are for. China is a surveillance dictatorship, it's a disgrace that the government have control of everybody's lives; don't commend a country that currently has millions of people in rebranded concentration camps.

 

[plat]

Yes, of course, these restrictions wouldn't have been implemented without various means to enforce them already in place. Just curious as to how exactly this is done, along with numerous other means to spy on "manage" the one billion-plus Chinese population. So much secrecy, maybe in part due to the world's condmenation of some of the strategies to control the population.

 

[plat]

don't commend a country that currently has millions of people in rebranded concentration camps.

You know, that's really hilarious, and you probably never intended that. My "commending" a totalitarian and alien nation, in bitter conflict with Hong Kong, waging cyber warfare and God knows what else, rulling its people with an iron fist. However, in isolation, it is commendable to want to curb near-sightedness and improve school performance. Those two ideas are mutually exclusive. China is an alien world to the eyes of a Westerner.

 

[upnorth]

Very interesting topic and sure, China can be a very harsh place with it's rules and laws, but if visiting simply go with the flow and what ever one do, don't do drugs in any shape or form as the penalty is too severe. Personal I would probably be in food heaven if I ever went there.

@plat1098 has a good point that for us Westerners China is an alien world but, for those that lives there it of course ain't. They are used to a lot of for us strange and odd decisions. How the Chinese government would enforce this, is for sure an interesting question. The article somewhat answer that.

The National Press and Publication Administration said that minors would be required to use real names and identification numbers when they logged on to play. The rules also limit how much young people can spend on purchases made through apps, like virtual weapons, clothes and pets. Those purchases are now capped at $28 to $57 a month, depending on age.

Also this, I didn't know about.

Many of the biggest technology companies, including Tencent and Netease, have already imposed limits on younger users. Young gamers are also likely to find ways around the regulations, such as using a parent’s phone and identification number. “There are always going to be loopholes,”

 

[plat]

Aha, found it. Social Credit Score.

If the children circumvent the rules, I have a feeling the parents may pay the consequences one way or another. At least, that's what I gathered. As to the point of the relative term of normalcy, I wonder if Chinese people, raised in Western nations, go to China to live permanently, how they would adapt to the greater scrutiny and spying.

 

[Aleeyen]

There are many rules in this world that are quite impractical and cannot be implemented, this is just one of them.
But on the positive side it can give parents some idea about how much should kids be allowed to play. They can even tell their children that its a rule and everyone has to follow it.

 

[upnorth]

Aha, found it. Social Credit Score.

If the children circumvent the rules, I have a feeling the parents may pay the consequences one way or another. At least, that's what I gathered. As to the point of the relative term of normalcy, I wonder if Chinese people, raised in Western nations, go to China to live permanently, how they would adapt to the greater scrutiny and spying.

That's actually something even we in my country has. I mean a Social Credit Score. Here it's called UC score and every single person ( even kids ) have that either one like it or not. Bad score is the same as one can't take a loan, one can't rent etc etc. Of course one ain't punished because of a Tweet where one tells the authorities or banks stick their heads up where the sun don't shine, but people are punished in other ways that many times is idiotic and way to hard. Typical example is a single parent mother failed one bill, but still payed a month late. She risk not being able to take a single little credit for over 5 years and getting rid of the negative score can take 3 extra years and she better not fail one single time again. That's just plain wrong, but the banks and the government here cares zero.

Our Western system for sure ain't perfect.

 

[bribon77]

Long live freedom!

 

[Burrito]

Interesting thread.

Multiple interesting and informed posts.

 

[show-Zi]

I think China is a family, not a country. The citizens are taught and nurtured as children.
What is interesting is how to deal with children who have learned about other lifestyles.

 

[ForgottenSeer 823865]

I think China is a family, not a country. The citizens are taught and nurtured as children.
What is interesting is how to deal with children who have learned about other lifestyles.

Exactly, i found funny when people talk (bad) about a country they never put a feet in...

Im European citizen from South-East Asia origin, living now since a decade in my origin country which is similar to China in term of leadership.
What most westerners failed to understand is the society structure in S-E Asia.

1- Society is family-based. and often described this way "family comes first even before God" , while in western countries when a person reach legal adulthood (18 or 21 years old depending the country) and got a job, they usually "flee" their home and set up an independent live out of the family rules and limitations.
In Asia, they don't, they leave the parent's home mostly when they get married or have a job in another city. if not, they all stay with the parents, and pooling part of their incomes so the whole family get higher living standards and comfort. Why need to waste money paying a stranger for another home while you can still live for free while mom is cooking good food for you. LOL.
Also most Asian don't abandon their parents to some nursing home, they take care of them until they die.
Asian's parents are very protective and put their kids well-being very high, boys especially, are spoiled like kings.

Asian government just behave like parents "My house, my rules. You don't like, go live elsewhere; but don't dare to defy me in my own house or you will face punishments, i know what is best for you".

2- because of point 1, we don't see the government "intrusions" as critical as westerners see it. Personally i don't care much if the police knock at my door without warrants to check if everything is ok, i don't do criminal stuff so i have nothing to hide to authorities (wont say the same if my neighbor try to do the same), faster they do , faster they leave, faster i resume my life. Of course i would prefer they never come but it is not a big deal. Also, in Asia working for the police, military or government is sign of higher status, many families have their childrens working in police or military so it is not such an harassment. Law officers are mostly respected unlike in some western countries where people make their job more difficult by resisting for a simple ID check...it is good and useful to have a police officer as friend or family member.

3- Asian and especially Chinese are very patriotic, they support their country even knowing it is far from perfect, try invading China you will see a billions soldiers ready to die for it. US learned it the hard way with Vietnam. Most of the activists just want "Westerners" kind of rights which is understandable but protesting on the streets won't change a thing, they rather try to do it from inside. slowly but surely.

4- Asia and especially China grew way more faster than anticipated, and this thanks to the western leaders and CEO who send all their manufacturing facilities in Asia lol. Now they depend on Asia because they are too used to pay cheaper workers.

Now about the video game restrictions imposed by China, i see it as a good and respectable attempt, because honestly gaming if left unchecked is nefarious to kids and even for some adults, i know well, i saw its impact of my family members and even on myself. Online games especially, are sweet poisons.

i dont think it may be too difficult to implement it, can be done at OS level , they may ask MS to create a timer built-in Windows that recognize games markers and prevent launching it. or enforce a 3rd party program installed on every machines (computers, phones, tablets).
I think it is also an attempt to educate parents and open their eyes about it, many kids play too much because busy parents prefer knowing them at home in front of their gaming rig than on the streets doing who knows what.

 

[Oten]

Almost all westerners criticize China from a wrong point of views and ideas.
This one is a good start to understand China

 

[show-Zi]

Exactly, i found funny when people talk (bad) about a country they never put a feet in...

Im European citizen from South-East Asia origin, living now since a decade in my origin country which is similar to China in term of leadership.
What most westerners failed to understand is the society structure in S-E Asia.

1- Society is family-based. and often described this way "family comes first even before God" , while in western countries when a person reach legal adulthood (18 or 21 years old depending the country) and got a job, they usually "flee" their home and set up an independent live out of the family rules and limitations.
In Asia, they don't, they leave the parent's home mostly when they get married or have a job in another city. if not, they all stay with the parents, and pooling part of their incomes so the whole family get higher living standards and comfort. Why need to waste money paying a stranger for another home while you can still live for free while mom is cooking good food for you. LOL.
Also most Asian don't abandon their parents to some nursing home, they take care of them until they die.
Asian's parents are very protective and put their kids well-being very high, boys especially, are spoiled like kings.

Asian government just behave like parents "My house, my rules. You don't like, go live elsewhere; but don't dare to defy me in my own house or you will face punishments, i know what is best for you".

2- because of point 1, we don't see the government "intrusions" as critical as westerners see it. Personally i don't care much if the police knock at my door without warrants to check if everything is ok, i don't do criminal stuff so i have nothing to hide to authorities (wont say the same if my neighbor try to do the same), faster they do , faster they leave, faster i resume my life. Of course i would prefer they never come but it is not a big deal. Also, in Asia working for the police, military or government is sign of higher status, many families have their childrens working in police or military so it is not such an harassment. Law officers are mostly respected unlike in some western countries where people make their job more difficult by resisting for a simple ID check...it is good and useful to have a police officer as friend or family member.

3- Asian and especially Chinese are very patriotic, they support their country even knowing it is far from perfect, try invading China you will see a billions soldiers ready to die for it. US learned it the hard way with Vietnam. Most of the activists just want "Westerners" kind of rights which is understandable but protesting on the streets won't change a thing, they rather try to do it from inside. slowly but surely.

4- Asia and especially China grew way more faster than anticipated, and this thanks to the western leaders and CEO who send all their manufacturing facilities in Asia lol. Now they depend on Asia because they are too used to pay cheaper workers.

Now about the video game restrictions imposed by China, i see it as a good and respectable attempt, because honestly gaming if left unchecked is nefarious to kids and even for some adults, i know well, i saw its impact of my family members and even on myself. Online games especially, are sweet poisons.

i dont think it may be too difficult to implement it, can be done at OS level , they may ask MS to create a timer built-in Windows that recognize games markers and prevent launching it. or enforce a 3rd party program installed on every machines (computers, phones, tablets).
I think it is also an attempt to educate parents and open their eyes about it, many kids play too much because busy parents prefer knowing them at home in front of their gaming rig than on the streets doing who knows what.

I think it is an accurate opinion. Oriental culture is based on a history built around the “nuclear” of parents and politics.
Roughly speaking, I feel that Western culture is an individual competition, and that Western culture is a group competition that follows the director's instructions.

 

[ForgottenSeer 823865]

@show-Zi indeed, I will always remember my co-worker's question:
"how come the asian owner of the restaurant next to my home can affords a Mercedes while is restaurant is always empty when I pass by? they must do some illegal stuff"
This is the typical reaction of westerners.
I just explained her what I said above, it never came to her mind before.

 

[plat]

Exactly, i found funny when people talk (bad) about a country they never put a feet in...

Hi Umbra, Oten and show-Zi. Have any of you been to Chinatown in New York City? It is flat-out awesome. The residents in general are more New Yorker than I am. The street shows are amazing. It's not putting "a feet in," but it's a taste. I, myself, was referring to a repressive regime, using what is widely reported in the press. It's a Westerner's view. Here is a thought: would you representing your nation deliberately flood the streets and store shelves of an opposing nation with lead-based cosmetics wearing fake labels? Profit from knock-offs of handbags, clothes, etc? Electronics? China is no friend of the US and never will be. But I admire the culture so. I'd like to think it's totally separate but it's not, sadly.

If you want to generalize, that's your perogative. But I personally read carefully what someone posts before making jokes and conclusions like that. It's the intelligent thing to do.