Kids and Teens in China Banned From Playing Online Video Games for More Than 3 Hours Per Week

[MacRumors]

China is implementing a new online gaming restriction that will affect children and teenagers who are under 18 years old, reports CNBC. Kids will only be able to play online games for an hour a day (8:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.) on weekends and legal holidays. Weekday gaming is prohibited.

Companies that provide online game services to minors will need to comply with these rules and will not be able to offer the games to children outside of those hours. Gaming providers will also be required to have users register with their real names and users will need to be logged in to play. Gaming companies are responsible for ensuring minors are not accessing games outside of the permitted time.

The new rules are meant to safeguard children's physical and mental health, and the National Press and Public Administration said that the guidelines address "the problem of minors' excessive use" of online gaming. China previously had a restriction that limited gameplay to 1.5 hours per day, but gaming was allowed on most days.

Tencent, a major gaming provider in China, said that only a small amount of its gaming revenue comes from younger players. The company plans to implement the new requirements, and earlier today, expressed support for the rules.

It's not clear how these new rules will affect games that operate using the App Store. Apple Arcade is not a factor as it is not offered in China, but there are App Store games that require an online connection.

China in 2016 began requiring mobile gaming developers to officially license their games with the government, and in 2020, pressured Apple to remove App Store games from developers that did not comply. Apple has since pulled tens of thousands of games from the App Store in China.

Article Link: Kids and Teens in China Banned From Playing Online Video Games for More Than 3 Hours Per Week

 

[seanmcbay]

They should do that here.

 

[Kylo83]

I do believe in freedom but I get why they do this, kids in the west are addicted to it and don’t know how to go outside and play with friends so I see it from both sides, they don’t want kids playing fortnite 24/7

 

[dapa0s]

They should do that here.

I think a lot of nerds tend to be commies because they don't really understand human beings. Feel free to move to a commie country though.

Oh, wait, no! People vote with their feet and only move to the West, nvm ?

 

[tyranne201]

That's really bad and stupid. Games are not only entertainment. There are educational games too. Simplistic view from a totalitarian government.

 

[jk73]

Any halfway decent parent would already do this on their own, but those are obviously in very short supply these days. Easier to park kids on the couch.

 

[TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️]

Kids and Teens in China Banned From Playing Online Video Games for More Than 3 Hours Per Week Or 3 Hours Per Day?​

Yikes! China is definitely not playing any games.

Even the school times are ridiculous in China.

 

[Shirasaki]

Heh. Instead of teaching children to play games responsibly, they simply ban them playing games. Seems like turning children into bots rather than intelligent individual is a better idea for them.
Given how many App Store games are designed (daily login, daily quest etc), this new rule basically bans kids from playing “computer” games altogether. Bruh.

 

[Kylo83]

Kids are growing up with no social skills they are addicted to the internet like tik tok and games it’s very damaging, something has to change I don’t agree with governments making these laws but maybe it’s for the better, if a kid has there phone taken away for a day they will get depressed it’s so bad and so many parents just give a chills a ipad so they make them be quiet I see it in restaurants all the time

 

[Shirasaki]

That's really bad and stupid. Games are not only entertainment. There are educational games too. Simplistic view from a totalitarian government.

Simplistic view from a bunch of mad men that can’t be bothered to think about better solutions: just ban ban ban.

 

[tyranne201]

Any halfway decent parent would already do this on their own, but those are obviously in very short supply these days. Easier to park kids on the couch.

Playing games only 3 hours a week doesn't make you good at math. I bet it has an opposite effect on kids health nowadays, like depression. Limiting kids to these kinds of things won't make you kid successful, rich and powerful, sorry. Alcohol, drug bans never did anything effective on society, why would this do?

 

[jk73]

Simplistic view from a bunch of mad men that can’t be bothered to think about better solutions: just ban ban ban.

Nothing was banned.

 

[TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️]

Playing games only 3 hours a week doesn't make you good at math. I bet it has an opposite effect on kids health nowadays. Limiting kids to these kinds of things won't make you kid successful, rich and powerful.

You do know in Silicon Valley, it's the people from China and other Asian countries running the show. They are making bank over there.

 

[TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️]

Do that in America and people will be protesting, breaking things and going out on a strike, LOL.

 

[jk73]

Playing games only 3 hours a week doesn't make you good at math. I bet it has an opposite effect on kids health nowadays, like depression. Limiting kids to these kinds of things won't make you kid successful, rich and powerful, sorry. Alcohol, drug bans never did anything effective on society, why would this do?

American kids are socially maladjusted and over 50% of them are overweight or obese. Time to try something new for a while, since the average parent is an idiot.

 

[apparatchik]

This resembles my parent's rules when I was a child (late '80s and '90s), my NES and later N64 would get taken away during the week and I had just a few hours on the weekend to play lol, I would envy other kids that had their consoles on their bedroom and could play to their heart contents... I'll tell my Dad he resembled the CCP on the next family reunion lol.

 

[aevan]

They should do that here.

No, no they shouldn’t. It’s none of government’s business how my kids spend their time. It’s horrible.

It’s not a new concept, actually it’s quite old, dating in various forms all the way to Ancient Greece. It’s called “democracy”. Look it up.

 

[Shirasaki]

Nothing was banned.

Heh. Many mobile games are designed so that players have to login every day, even just for 10 min to do their so-called “daily quests”. Only allowing weekend play for up to an hour means those games can’t be played properly. Other games? Oh well, I don’t believe those kids would be interested playing mini metro or monument valley or other games like that.

So, in practice, this rule bans kids from playing games. Can’t wait to see those kids playing games unend during universities thanks to this rule, or they just want to kill off part of gaming industry in China.

 

[Deacon-Blues]

Communist dictators doing communist dictator stuff. Nothing new here.

 

[Macalway]

Seems like a very good idea to me. Freedom to be developmentally impaired is a questionable state.

Goes to show you. Strange.

But there are without doubt much better solutions available. Problem is, they ain't goin to happen

 

[macsareveryinteresting]

Kids and Teens in China Banned From Playing Online Video Games for More Than 3 Hours Per Week Or 3 Hours Per Day?​

Yikes! China is definitely not playing any games.

Even the school times are ridiculous in China.

View attachment 1825386

That's just insane. Here it's like 8-3. That's an extremely big difference.

 

[aevan]

I’m shocked at the comments supporting this. May your wishes come true and you get to live in a country like China. You’ll love it. I just hope you don’t drag the rest of us.

 

[jk73]

No, no they shouldn’t. It’s none of government’s business how my kids spend their time. It’s horrible.

It’s not a new concept, actually it’s quite old, dating in various forms all the way to Ancient Greece. It’s called “democracy”. Look it up.

That’s hilarious. “The government” requires your kids to spend 13 years of their most formative years in government schools.

 

[aevan]

That’s hilarious. “The government” requires your kids to spend 13 years of their most formative years in government schools.

You really can’t tell the difference? Really?

 

[xxray]

I’m shocked at the comments supporting this. May your wishes come true and you get to live in a country like China. You’ll love it. I just hope you don’t drag the rest of us.

Seriously, wtf is this comment section? You guys really would prefer the government to do your parenting for you? ?