Net Check: Fighting Online Game Addiction

Earlier this week on BON News we reported on China’s growing problem of children and young adults addicted to the internet. One recent survey claimed the number of young web addicts was almost 24 million last year double that of five years ago. Although the authorities have not officially labeled Internet addiction a clinical condition there is recognition of the problem and government-funded clinics exist to offer treatment. And the phenomenon has become of increasing concern to desperate parents who have resorted to sometimes extreme methods to try and ‘”unhook” their children from online games such as anti-addiction “bootcamps”. Now China’s Ministry of Culture has said parents whose children are addicted to an online game can ask the game company to cancel their child’s account. Along with the Ministry, six domestic online game companies are collaborating in the initiative and will provide parents with hotlines to call to have an account deactivated. In order to avoid abuse, such as malicious reports, detailed information such as guardians’ information and proof of the relationship will have to be provided. The initiative has triggered plenty of discussion online and our researcher Kevin Jia has been following the threads.
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