Note: These are author’s personal opinions and not news. For exact news please refer to other source.
Yes! More restrictions! This time on internet timing for children below the age of 18.
— Now, China’s policy on internet use has changed for Chinese children.
— Earlier it was some fixed hours per week.
— Now it varies for age groups.
— Very young children to be allowed a few hours.
— Senior teenagers get 2 hours of time to use the internet.
— The problem is of surveillance.
— All these restrictions need data about the user.
— This means the government has all the information about who is using the internet and what is he/she viewing.
— Typically, young children are only allowed some programs and some informative educational things only on phones.
— This is not bad, but data collection is against the right to privacy. That too depends on the country itself.
— At times children too need some content other than informative lectures.
— Many children eat food with videos only, given parents are both working and hardly have time to give leisure.
— Time limit is good, but what about the privacy of children as they grow into teenagers?
All this to say that it can lead to high surveillance and control of what can be viewed, how much of it can be viewed and hence changing of personal opinions, choices, and henceforth decisions.
References
[1] China looks to limit children to two hours a day on their phones | Reuters(https://www.reuters.com/world/china/china-issues-draft-guidelines-tighten-limits-use-apps-by-minors-2023-08-02/)