China’s internet watchdog has proposed new rules to limit the amount of time youngsters spend on smartphones, dealing another blow to companies like Tencent and ByteDance, which operate social media platforms and online gaming. The Chinese Cyberspace Administration published the draft guidelines on its website on Wednesday, stating that minors would be prohibited from using most internet services on mobile devices from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. and that children between the ages of 16 and 18 would be limited to two hours of internet use per day. Children between the ages of 8 and 15 would be limited to an hour every day, while those under the age of 8 would be limited to 40 minutes.
Only specific services, such as apps or platforms judged appropriate for kids’ physical and mental development, would be exempted. The CAC did not say which internet services would be exempted. The limitations are the latest attempt by Beijing to prevent internet addiction, which it sees as pervasive among its youth. Beijing limited children’s daily online gaming time to 90 minutes per day in 2019, then increased those limitations in 2021, allowing only an hour of online gameplay per day on Fridays, weekends, and public holidays.
Firms in China are frequently in charge of implementing legislation
Youth modes on short video and online video platforms like Douyin, Bilibili, and Kuaishou limit the sort of content presented to minors and the length of time they can use the service. Children are also pressured to participate in educational activities such as scientific experiments. The new limits would affect companies such as Tencent, China’s largest online game developer, and ByteDance, which operates the popular short-video platform Douyin.
Firms in China are frequently in charge of implementing legislation. “To effectively strengthen the online protection of minors, the CAC has in recent years pushed for the establishment of a youth mode on internet platforms, expanding its coverage, optimizing its functions and enriching it with age-appropriate content,” the CAC said. “Since the mode was launched, there has been a positive impact in reducing youth internet addiction and the impact of undesirable information,” it added. The CAC stated that draft guidelines were open for public comment until September 2. It did not specify when the new rules would take effect.