Internet Addiction – to help or hinder – China can’t decide
It seems China can't make up its mind when it comes to the Internet and the young people in the country.
Should they have more access or less?
On one hand the Chinese government is worried about its teenagers becoming addicted, even to the point Hospital Plans Now Include Addiction ….to the Interne which includes Electric Shock Treatment for Internet Addiction Implemented in China.
The government also has 8 Chinese Laws to Improve Teenage Life and Prevent Internet Addiction.
Now the Chinese government is calling on schools and communties to provide more free Internet services for young people.
Yup…that should help with the addiction problem for sure.
Of course, the key is to offer 'healthy' oversight and a 'healthy' environment to go online.
A new "revised Law on the Protection of Minors prescribes that, 'Nonprofit Internet service infrastructures within communities shall be free or offered at a discounted price, as well as provide a safe and healthy online service for minors.'"
Additionally, the Ministry of Culture is requiring weekly national inspections of China's 120,000 registered Internet cafes by county officials and monthly inspections by city officials, as well as bi-weekly inspections by provincial officials.
Let's see, one guy comes every week, another guy every 2 weeks, and a third guy once a month = 7 inspections a month X 120,000 Internet Cafes = 940,000 inspections a month. Whoa!..that's an awful lot of inspections, paperwork and opportunities to be bribed, er, persuaded to let things be.
So, which is it China, give them more access or take more steps to prevent addiction?
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