Why Is China Cracking Down on Gaming?

Video games have always been somewhat of a touchy subject. Their presence in China, however, caused an executive response that spanned nationwide. The topic of screen time has generally cemented itself as a household issue. The government has given parental figures to monitor/regulate the time that their child spends online. Unlike the rest of the world, China has taken a larger role in video game regulation than most. From trying to ban consoles altogether, to actively limiting screen time, the country has a very interesting history with what most consider a hobby.

Throughout the past few years, China has implemented a multitude of restrictive matters in terms of time spent online. In 2019, the government began utilizing a “gaming curfew.” In short, any citizen under 18 was prohibited from playing video games during the time period of 10 PM-8 AM. 

Not only that, but children also aren’t allowed to play for more than 90 minutes a day during the week. The government also addressed spending limits, by placing monthly regulations on how much certain age groups are allowed to spend on games.

The government has also attempted to ban gaming altogether. Until 2015, the making/selling of video game consoles in China was illegal. However, that endeavor proved relatively unsuccessful. Banning the consoles forced citizens to find gaming aspects on smaller screens, such as phones and computers. If kids want to game, they’ll game. Banning the consoles was extremely counter-productive to the problem that China wants to address, which we’ll get into later. 

In 2008, the country became the first nation to recognize frequenting the internet as an addiction/ disease. The government has set up “camps” for kids with video game addictions. Supposedly with a 75% success rate, the camps are meant to cure children of their love for screens. Utilizing medication, brain scans, and military-style workouts, the camps serve as a testament to China’s problem with video game addiction. 

So, why?

According to Xu Xiangyang, “They leave an individual with no means of earning money or supporting themselves. They are utterly meaningless and bring nothing positive to a family or a person.” Xu is the founder of one of the video game “boot camps”. His school serves to re-instill children with the magic of culture. His teachings include music, comedy, and socialization skills.

While its executive methods may not be ideal, China is fighting a real problem. With over 700 million people on the internet, online addiction serves as a real issue with Chinese youth. A 2015 study revealed that 86% of Chinese teenagers suffer from nearsightedness or myopia. The suspected cause? Screen time. Hence, the government’s repeated attempts at limiting screens.  In 2018, the government created a panel to gauge whether certain games should be released and whether they could lead to more cases of myopia. Doing so has lead to a smaller output of video games into Chinese society, as the products undergo an extremely strict process before release. Whether Myopia is a direct cause of screen time, we don’t know for sure. Retracting the console ban was a smart move since the alternates to consoles are generally smaller screens. 

All in all, Chinese involvement may seem harsh, but the issue is real. The WHO has begun to list “gaming disorder” as a mental health condition, so China isn’t necessarily in the wrong.  As we continue to surround ourselves with screens, we neglect the outside world.