Chinese gaming platforms such as Tencent and NetEase must limit online gaming for minors to just three hours a week under new rules imposed by regulators on Monday, Bloomberg reported, citing state media reports. The change comes in response to growing concerns about gaming addiction and a broader crackdown on China’s tech giants.
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Children under 18 will now be limited to one hour of gaming between 8 and 9 p.m. on Fridays, weekends and public holidays. This is a change from the previous limit of 1.5 hours of online gaming on most days. According to Reuters, gaming companies must limit online gaming outside of those hours and must have a real-name verification system in place to ensure the new rules.
Regulators say they will also work with parents and schools to help combat gaming addiction among young Chinese.
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The new rules issued today come a month after an article published by state media described online gaming as “spiritual opium.” Although the phrase was later removed, the tone of the article, especially in retrospect, clearly left the impression that state intervention would be inevitable.
Source of information: theverge.com
