Chinese regulators have proposed curbing youth smartphone addiction by requiring device- and appmakers to have a “minor mode” that would limit daily usage to, at most, two hours by those 18 and under.
China tied for first on a list of 24 countries for problematic cell-phone use by youth in a 2022 study. The consequences, beyond exasperated parents, can be serious, with links to unproductivity, antisocial behavior, higher stress levels, poor sleep quality, and mood disorders.
Citing the importance of young people to the country’s development, President Xi Jinping’s government has previously introduced measures to regulate youth tech addiction, like limiting the time children can play video games to three hours per week and cracking down on online fandom culture.
MINOR MODE The new required smartphone setting, when enabled, would…
