China Proposes Two-Hour Limit Per Day on Internet Access for Minors

As the Internet becomes increasingly accessible to children, it’s become a worrying issue. What’s worse, research estimates that at least 20 percent of children around the world are addicted to the Internet and use it for far too many extended hours each day.

In response, China has recently proposed a two-hour limit for minors to access the Internet each day, in an effort to reduce Internet addiction and other potential harms associated with overuse of the online medium.

The proposed rules, which are likely to be adopted by the nation’s top internet regulator before the end of the year, are seen by many as an attempt to protect children’s online safety and to better educate them on the proper use of the Internet. Recent reports have highlighted how children are the most vulnerable to online bullying, exploitation, and manipulation. The proposed two-hour limit will also address the potential physical harms that extended online use can bring, such as backaches, headaches, and eye strain.

The two-hour limit proposed by China will apply to individuals under the age of 18. It also covers activities such as online gaming, chatroom use, instant messaging, and social media usage. In addition, the plan stresses the importance of promoting proper internet usage habits among young people, such as avoiding posting private and inappropriate content and avoiding the use of malicious software and online tools.

The two-hour limit will also be enforced by Chinese Internet service providers, PC software producers, and gaming companies. This means that even if minors exceed the two-hour limit, they will be blocked from accessing the Internet or engaging in online activities.

Whether or not the proposed two-hour limit will be successful in protecting China’s youth from the potential harms associated with excessive Internet use remains to be seen. However, the effort highlights the growing concern of governments around the world about the potentially negative impacts that the Internet can have on young people if used recklessly.