China finally did what people and especially my parents have been wanting to do. They put a ban on gaming, I have a lot of mixed feelings about this ban. My heart disagrees but my head agrees; China finally did what people and especially my parents have been wanting to do. They banned gaming for longer than 90 minutes on weekdays. I have a lot of mixed feelings about this ban. People take up careers in gaming and they chose to do this knowing that they could be doing something else. People play games to forget about their life and to live in another world. They play games to forget the problems that they are faced with. Gaming is really fun, but it does take up a lot of time away from other things. I think China has a good idea but they should change the ban. They should have the parents decide on how long their child plays. Or even make the child work for time to play games. I think China should also clarify what types of games the 90 minutes count towards. I think it would be weird that the 90 minutes would count towards educational games. I still personally would not like to have this, but I think it would be the right call to have some type of regulation on it. So that people can live their lives in the fake world and in the real world.
Oh China, once again we can witness the nation of China imposing new regulations to control the lives of their people. This isn’t shocking whatsoever, given their more well-known one-child policy and numerous other restrictions put in place to give the government authority over the lives of their people. But I digress; let’s stick to video games. I think that one could argue that there are some negative effects associated with playing video games, including addiction, and that may be true. For this, I applaud China for seeing a problem and trying to fix it. My issue is that video games are an activity, and people choose to take part in that activity, knowing the risks behind it. I would even go beyond that to say video games are for some people a career, and for a large portion of teenagers, a lifestyle.
The government has no jurisdiction to encroach here and make regulations on video games. What people do in their own time should be up to them, and I think the government needs to reevaluate their priorities. While thousands of people in China are in poverty and hungry, the government is worried about children becoming nearsighted. If this doesn’t seem like blatant ignorance from the government, look at the protests in Hong Kong; clearly the people there are fed up with the government controlling their lives. This idea of infringing on a person’s liberties for the “public good” leads us down a slippery slope, leaving us with the question: where does it stop?
I am glad China has imposed these video game restrictions on their youth. Video game addiction is very possible in today’s world, where new and exceedingly interesting video games are being churned out by developers constantly. The new restrictions on gaming will encourage kids to spend more time outside rather than staring at their computers or televisions for hours on end. Exercising outside will improve their health and overall happiness.
I had played video games off and on for a few years leading up until just recently. My parents had always set their own limitations on how much I could play: never during the week but anytime during the weekend. This summer, I noticed that I began to play games with my friends late into the night on weekends and occasionally into the wee hours of the next day. I began missing out on crucial sleeping time and had a more negative demeanor about me. I began to feel addicted to gaming as my life began to revolve around the game Fortnite.
The last day of the previous summer, however, was the last time I will play video games for a very long time. I have not picked up the controller for over three months and my life has been impacted positively from these changes. My weekends now consist of playing outside, going on bike rides, and hanging out with my friends. I have ended my video game addiction and I think these kids in China will enjoy the new restrictions once they understand the negative effects gaming has on their lives.
@Harrison Carter I would strongly disagree with putting regulations on video games in the sense that you wouldn't put a restriction on how much time someone would be allowed to practice for say a sport with the increasing popularity of e sports and competitive gaming its a legitimate career choice to play games competitively or become a content creator
Where to begin, where to begin. I feel so many different ways about this ban. On one hand, I can think about this objectively and commend china for taking an active stance against video game addiction which is undoubtedly an unwanted distraction in their attempt to raise well-rounded, fully functioning individuals. On the other hand, though, I can think about this from the perspective of a Chinese high schooler, and I can confidently say that I would be angry. Like, I would be really angry. This is unfair to Chinese high schoolers. It’s encroaching on their personal freedoms and making it harder for them to enjoy life… or something of the sorts.
In a much more real sense, this can only be beneficial to them. There are a billion people in China, so if we’re being real, it’s very competitive academically. You need to put in the work to succeed, so I can understand where the government is coming from. Video games don’t necessarily increase stupidity, as the propaganda says, but I think it is important to acknowledge the innate value and merit of the video game limit.
@Jacob Jarrett I agree with your stance on the added restrictions. On one hand, the health and well-being of the gamers will increase. On the other, it is important for people to pursue their passions in life and for some people- that passion is gaming. I like your statement, "You need to put in the work to succeed, so I can understand where the government is coming from." I believe the government has good intentions by implementing these restrictions but it is sad to see gamers not being able to pursue their dreams.
@Jacob Jarrett Very insightful response Jacob. I never even considered the viewpoint of the teenagers. Of course they would be upset, who wouldn't be. It already feels like our lives are constantly under watch from adults, and video games offer a place of solace to escape that pressure from the world. Now, even video games are being restricted? I have to disagree with you that this policy will "only be beneficial to them." China in particular is infamous for their overreaching authority into the lives of their people; take the one-child policy as an example. I see these new regulations as a means to control the lives of the teenagers. Now, this may seem a little extreme, but nonetheless a legitimate threat to the teenager's liberties. The government really shouldn't be involving themselves into this matter; what people do on their own time should stick with them, as long as their not infringing on anyone else's rights. The government uses the "public good" excuse as a shield to implement yet again more control on the lives of their citizens, and I don’t see it stopping anytime soon.
@Ryan Boaz While you can blame China's policies on its government's overreaching authority into its people's lives, the practice of restricting the people's time on the computer is prevalent in many other countries as well. For example, there are heavy gaming laws in South Korea, one of the most democratic nations in the world. The leader of the UN is from South Korea, yet they impose 'strict' gaming laws on their citizens. These laws are for the good of the people. The primary goal of the South Korean government when establishing these laws was to decrease suicidal activity caused by video games. These laws are for the good of the citizens.
China implemented new regulations which limits the total time that a child can spend video gaming. For example, China’s gaming industry raised prices on various gaming accessories, hoping it would act as a barrier to the time spent gaming. It is shown that gaming can affect the physical and mental health of children, preventing them from receiving good grades and effective time management skills. While video gaming can be destructive and addictive, I believe the policy lacks the overall purpose— the growth and development of a child. It is important that a child understands the concept of self-discipline in order to be prepared for any sudden urges in the future. Since some might ignore this journey of self-discipline, the parent’s role is essential in preventing children from excessive gaming. It should be the child’s responsibility, as well as some guidance from the parents, to combat the impulsive decision of too much time spent gaming— it is not the government of China’s responsibility.
According to the article, China has implemented regulations on video games, restricting the time that young people play them and the amount of money spent on them. Although this may seem excessive to some, I believe these regulations are valid because the government is trying to limit the negative effects of video games, such as nearsightedness and poor academic performance. I do not think video games have much value because they are simply sources of entertainment with no real benefits. The regulations might encourage the youth in China to find other hobbies rather than just sitting in front of a screen for long periods of time. While I agree that people can still find loopholes around the regulations, the government has good intentions with these rules and they should be followed. I do not play video games, but I know that they are very addictive. People often stay up all night playing video games rather than doing their homework, studying, or maybe even interacting with others. I honestly think it would be beneficial to implement similar regulations in our country because people would be forced to enjoy other activities that actually provide benefits.
@Ridah Shaikh I would strongly disagree with putting regulations on video games in the sense that you wouldn't put a restriction on how much time someone would be allowed to practice for say a sport with the increasing popularity of e sports and competitive gaming its a legitimate career choice to play games competitively or become a content creator
In China new rules have been set in an attempt to combat the video game addiction consuming the country and the world. Technology is a major part of children’s lives, video games are extremely popular and the market for this technology is growing exponentially. I think that there is an addiction to video games, but I do not believe that banning them will result in the outcome China desires. When rules are put in place saying someone cannot do something it makes them want to do it more. The article mentioned loopholes in the system and I think many people will use them to feel like they have more freedom. I believe that parents should be regulating their child’s electronic use, and by giving the child more freedom over their choices they will learn self control. While initially many children and students will make mistakes in how much time they spend online, eventually the consequences will set in—with grades especially—teaching the student that they need to manage their time better. I do agree that this addiction is a problem and has negative effects on one's health and school performance, but I do not think this is the best way to tackle the issue. Setting such strict guidelines will result in kids rebelling against this system, and they will not be able to learn time management and self control which are very important skills to have in life.
For teens, a common issue worldwide is definitely video game’s and the wasted amount of time kids decided to play on them today. However, the Chinese government took action and is now forcing kids younger than 18 to have certain restrictions on them. These video games are proven to “Is affect the physical and mental health of minors, as well as their normal learning and living”(Hernadez) and they think that putting these necessary restrictions on them will allow students to do better in school and help them out in life. Once kids can turn away from these useless games kids can become more active and spend more time focusing at school. I am although surprised video game agencies are allowing this because by doing so their company will definitely take a major setback and can probably lead to business closing. Overall I think this is a great step for the world and hope other nations decided to promote this issue and support it.
Although the regulations that China is using to go about reducing the problems that come along with excessive gaming seem extreme, I can understand them. From personal experience, I can say that playing video games can get out of hand sometimes. For example, a couple of years ago over the summer, I would play video games until 6 am in the morning. In retrospect, that does seem a bit excessive to me now, and since I was able to do this, I find it completely plausible for a portion of China’s youth to also play video games excessively. Additionally, I can understand why the government is linking video games with short-sightedness, since around the time I went on a video game spree, my vision that was once 2020 started rapidly declining. I am not against these regulations, for a couple of hours a day is still an ample amount of entertainment.
I think that this article is very important to recognize that gaming doesn’t come without its effects, and even though it can be fun, it is also very addicting. The Chinese government made it so teenagers and students have restrictions on how much time they spend on these games not only on school days, but weekends as well. I think that the government shouldn’t set restrictions, and it should be the parents and students themselves that find ways to restrict the time they spend on these games. There are going to be loopholes like offline games, that the government won’t be able to set restrictions on, and only if the kids realize they have a problem that’s when gaming addictions will end. The Chinese government is definitely taking a step in the right direction, because this will only further increase activity in children and time spent exercising instead of just sitting in front of a screen.
Although the regulations that China are using to go about reducing the problems that come along with excessive gaming seem extreme, I can understand them. From personal experience, I can say that playing video games can get out of hand sometimes. For example, a couple years ago over the summer I would play video games until 6 am in the morning. In retrospect, that does seem a bit excessive to me now, and since I was able to do this, I find it completely plausible for a portion of China’s youth to also play video games excessively. Additionally, I can understand why the government is linking video games with short sightedness, since around the time I went on a video game spree, my vision that was once 2020 started rapidly declining. I am not against these regulations, since a couple hours a day is still an ample amount of entertainment.