THE BULLETIN
CHINESE REGULATORS have proposed curbing youth smartphone addiction by requiring device- and appmakers to have a “minor mode” that would limit daily usage to, at most, two hours by those 18 and under.
China tied for first on a list of 24 countries for problematic cell-phone use by youth in a 2022 study. The consequences, beyond exasperated parents, can be serious, with links to unproductivity, antisocial behavior, higher stress levels, poor sleep quality, and mood disorders.
Citing the importance of young people to the country’s development, President Xi Jinping’s government has previously introduced measures to regulate youth tech addiction, like limiting the time children can play video games to three hours per week and cracking down on online fandom culture.
MINOR MODE The new required smartphone setting, when enabled, would limit daily use to 40 minutes for those under 8 years old, an hour for those under 16, and two hours for those under 18. Parents are “encouraged” to activate it on their children’s devices; exiting the mode would require their approval.
Minor mode would also bar access to web forums that discuss fundraising, online polls, and spamming. Features related to emergency services and education programs won’te be subjected to limits.
The proposal is in a comment period until Sept. 2, but the announcement sent Chinese tech shares tumbling. “There are all sorts of businesses which provide services to children online,”
