China limited Internet access for those under 18 years of age. Since September 2, the new cyberspace law came into force, prohibiting minors from using technological devices after 10:00 pm and limiting children and adolescents from spending more than two hours with these objects during the day, to except that the use is for educational purposes. According to the Government, the regulation is intended to protect young people from misinformation and Internet addiction, but critics point out that it is a measure that threatens the freedom of the population. Care or censorship?
The Cyberspace Administration of China maintains that it aims for all mobile devices to reduce “unwanted information” and protect the safety of children. Likewise, the regulation seeks to expand the protection of minors, prevent addiction to technology and have control over what content they can read or watch.
The new law of the Chinese Government intends that smartphones, applications and virtual stores integrate a “mode for minors” in their products, in order to protect the activity of children and adolescents.
For example, for those between 8 and 12 years old, the devices must offer videos on life skills and entertainment content with a positive orientation, taking into account that Internet use can only be 40 minutes and if it exceeds this time It must be for educational purposes.
This new measure, although it seeks to protect minors from harmful information and prevent computer crimes, could also be a limitation for those who are unaware of the country’s technology. Various technological sectors in China have spoken out against it because it represents a challenge for those responsible for enforcing these regulations, taking into account that this proposal arises after years of severe regulatory repression against technology giants in China.
Although since 2020 Chinese regulators have prohibited minors under 18 from playing on weekdays and limited their play to only three hours on weekends, the aim is now to reduce the times by age and instill “good socialist values,” the section says.
How much are young Chinese protected by these regulations? Does government intervention in technological issues have limits? Could this proposal be expanded to other countries? We open the debate with our guests of the day:
– Simona Levi, specialist in digital rights and founder of the platform for democratic innovation Xnet.
– Carlos Verissimo Storace, foreign policy analyst and expert on China issues.
Source: France 24
