China Govern Online Gaming

As of August 1, China has imposed regulations aimed at protecting children from violence in video games. It comes on the back of numerous deaths at rehabilitation centre’s for internet-addicted youths last year.  

 

A gaming cafe in China

 

These regulations are being headed by the Ministry of Culture and are said to be part of “a nationwide campaign to improve management of the virtual gaming industry and protect the minor from unwholesome content.” Role-playing games and social networking games are the main focus point, but any online game that targets minors that may lead to “the imitation of behavior that violates social morals and the law” will also come under the microscope.

 

Gamers must now submit their legal name before logging on and will then be restricted to how long they spend by gaming companies enforcing time limits, although how long is too long hasn’t been stated as of yet.

 

It’s estimated that 420 million people, around one-third of the population, now go online in some form or another, according to the latest figures from the China Internet Network Information Centre.

 

Craig Bryan, NoobFeed