Campaign Against Video Game Addiction Will Benefit Chinese Families

0
34
Campaign Against Video Game Addiction Will Benefit Chinese Families
1630420025 399590 1630420177 rrss normal.jpg

Official aversion to digital games is aggravated by concern about the epidemic of myopia in children and young people country

President Xi Jinping wants to restructure how Chinese families spend their time. The new rules limit the time that children can spend playing video games to three hours a week to combat their addiction to smartphones. The financial hit seems manageable for gaming giants like Tencent. But the president wants to steer kids away from screens into healthier activities, and that will require tougher measures.

The latest restrictions are strict. Those under 18 are only allowed one hour of play on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, as well as on holidays. The previous rule allowed them to play an hour and a half any day, and three hours on holidays. Hong Kong investors immediately downgraded Tencent’s market value by about $ 20 billion, roughly 4%, upon hearing the news. The sales surge also hit rivals NetEase and Bilibili.

Tencent’s smash hit, Honor of Kings is so popular that it has been singled out by state media in a column calling video games “spiritual opium.” Still, the $ 575 billion company insists its systems for verifying identity and limiting playtime are adequate.

Official aversion to video games is compounded by concerns about the myopia epidemic in the country. It is estimated that 81% of secondary school students are nearsighted, according to government figures. Xi is officially concerned, as is the Army. The government has already banned private lessons for profit and aims to reduce the burden of homework.

SEE ALSO  Orange adds Max to its television offer

To prevent children from switching to other forms of on-screen entertainment, they are likely to remove more restrictions on internet entertainment. Parents will notice the change. Workaholics will find it more difficult to use addictive games and apps as babysitters, but the government also wants to cut overtime. In the long run, all of this could be healthier for Chinese families, but not so much for businesses.