China proposes a limit on children's smartphone use to a maximum of two hours.
The Chinese cyberspace regulator is planning to introduce a "minor mode."
China to Limit Children's Smartphone Use
China is gearing up to set new rules to curb smartphone usage among children. As the digital world has increasingly captivated young minds, the Chinese government aims to balance technological advancement and the well-being of the younger population-the proposed solution: a time limit for kids' phone use.
As per NBC News, China's cyberspace regulator, the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC), has proposed new measures to limit children's smartphone use to two hours daily.
CAC's draft rules provide varying time restrictions depending on the ages of the minors. To be more precise, young minds below eight years old are limited to only 40 minutes of phone use per day. Meanwhile, children between nine to 16 can still enjoy their smartphones for at least one hour. The measure then restricts kids aged 16 and 17 to only two hours of screen time.
Besides the time limit, Gizmodo reports that the draft rules also bar users under 18 from accessing the internet on mobile devices from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.
This groundbreaking proposal is part of the country's larger initiative to tighten restrictions on minors' app usage. The proposed rules are a broader push by Chinese authorities to curb and prevent addiction among those under 18 to apps and smartphones. In recent years, there has been growing concern in China about the ill effects of excessive screen time on children's physical and mental health.
The CAC's draft rules would require phone makers to introduce so-called "minor mode" programs to enforce the time limits.
Chinese Tech Giant Shares Slumped
According to Reuters, Chinese tech behemoths quickly felt the investors' reaction to the proposed screen time limit.
Bilibili, some dubbed the YouTube of China, fell by roughly 7 percent in the Hong Kong trade, whereas Kuaishou dropped by around 3.53 percent. Tencent Holdings, which owns WeChat, slumped by 3 percent.
As China proposes to limit children's smartphone use to two hours a day, the world watches eagerly to see how this bold move unfolds. Whether China's proposed smartphone limit will effectively curb children's screen time remains to be seen.
Only time will tell whether China's smartphone limit will be effective. However, the move clearly indicates the government's concern about the ill effects of excessive phone use on children.
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