China Tightens Restrictions on Minors; Limits on Streaming and Social Media

China is restricting minors from streaming and using social media. This is another step in the fight against addiction among minors.

China's Cyberspace Administration introduced new restrictions related to the Internet and online gaming. The aim is to fight addiction among minors.

New regulations in China

According to a report of South China Morning Post, China is increasing restrictions on online gaming for minors. The new rules put limits on watching live streams and using social media.

The authorities are calling on all Internet providers to create a minor mode with restrictions on the amount of time allowed to browse content and the amount that can be spent on online purchases.

The Chinese paper says that the number of underage internet users has reached 183 million in the country. For this reason, China's General Secretary Xi Jinping has ordered to "strengthen cyberspace management" and "create a clean network for most users, especially young people."

The new regulations primarily target:

Internet usage skills for minors,
Information content standards,
Protection of minors' personal data
Prevention and control of Internet addiction among minors.

Interestingly, the regulations do not only apply to ISPs, but also to companies that manufacture and sell mobile devices and computers. All of them have to accept government supervision.

Some Chinese companies, including Tencent and iQIYI, have already implemented a minor mode. The tightened regulations are already taking their toll on market giants. Share prices of big players in China have fallen sharply in early 2021. For more on this topic, see Reuters.