Gaming Regulations in China
Did You Know? 🌟
There’s been a lot of talk about gaming regulations in China, and I thought this might be an interesting topic to share with you. China has some of the strictest rules in the world when it comes to limiting the time kids spend on video games.
Since 2019, children under 18 can only play for 90 minutes a day, with a bit more freedom during holidays – 3 hours max. And it’s not just about the time – gaming hours are limited to between 8 AM and 10 PM to prevent overnight gaming marathons. 🚫🕹️
What’s even more fascinating is how China controls in-game spending. Players aged 8-16 can only spend up to 200 yuan (about $28) a month on microtransactions, while those between 16-18 have a slightly higher limit of 400 yuan ($57). This is all aimed at reducing the risk of young players developing unhealthy habits.
Tech giants like Tencent and NetEase were quick to jump on board, enforcing these restrictions early on. Tencent even rolled out facial recognition technology in some of its games, like Honor of Kings, to ensure that minors don’t sneak past the rules using someone else’s account. But, as you can imagine, some kids have found clever ways to bypass the system by using their parents’ or grandparents’ details!
What’s more, in 2023, China went even further by extending these limits across various apps and platforms. There’s now a government-led “minors’ mode” that applies to everything from social media to mobile devices. This system restricts the content kids can access, the time they can spend online, and even involves close cooperation between app developers and device manufacturers to enforce it.
But here’s the big question: are these measures truly effective? While many parents in China (and even abroad) support these regulations, others argue that they may push some gaming activities underground, as we’ve already seen with account rental services and unauthorized playtime.
📱So, what’s your take on this? Do you believe these regulations are the right way to protect children from gaming addiction, or do they go too far?
Let me know your thoughts! 💬
