The Japanese government is introducing Internet "fasting camps" to bring children out of the virtual world and into more real world activities like sports, games and counseling.
With the rapid growth in technology, it is not surprising that people including kids are addicted to Internet and tech gadgets. But such addictions are a source of concern among caregivers as kids as young as 6-8 years are spending an inordinate amount of time tied to their consoles or phones
The Japanese government is taking an initiative to wean away children from their regular Internet habits and show the benefits of real world.
All new "Internet fasting" camps will be set up for kids to enjoy the real world fun activities without access to the Internet or any gadgets. According to the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry, about 518,000 students between the ages of 12 and 18 are addicted to the Internet. The cons of such an addiction are health problems such as disruption of sleep, symptoms of depression and decreasing school performance, according to a government-funded study in Japan.
The internet fasting camps will keep children away from computers, tablet PCs, smartphones, gaming consoles and mainly Internet during their stay and focus on offline activities. Children will be encouraged to play team sports and games along with counseling sessions and lectures from psychiatrists and clinical psychotherapists.
Despite the rising concerns about Internet addiction, very little is known about its treatment. Japan's initiative may help other countries to adopt similar measures in fighting internet addiction among its own citizens.
The education ministry has included the costs involved in carrying out such camps across Japan in its budget request for fiscal 2014, according to The Japan News.
