Smartphone Usage Limited To Just Two Hours Per Day: “Minor Mode” Will Enforce Law In China?

Smartphone usage among children and young adults is skyrocketing. A new proposed law could forcibly impose restrictions on screen time for children below the age of 18.

The new law proposing restrictions on smartphone usage for children is currently doing the rounds in China's legal circles. However, it has caused widespread panic among tech companies and their shareholders. Let's look at the latest developments that may have far-reaching implications.

China Proposes Limiting Smartphone Screen Time To Just Two Hours Per Day For Children

China's cyberspace regulator has proposed that children under the age of 18 should be limited to a maximum of two hours a day on their smartphones. The Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) has indicated that it wants apps, services, and even smartphone manufacturers to come up with ways to monitor and limit smartphone usage of children.

Specifically speaking, smartphone users between 16 and 18 years of age would get two hours per day. Children between the age of 8 to 16 would get only one hour per day, while children under eight would be allowed just eight minutes.

Apart from these restrictions, the CAC intends to bar users under 18 from accessing the internet on mobile devices from 10 PM to 6 AM.

How Will China Ensure Children Do Not Have Unrestricted Access To Smartphones?

China wants telecom service providers, and even app developers, to enforce the proposed restrictions. Additionally, service providers would have to set time limits under the proposed reforms, the CAC has indicated.

The CAC wants providers of smart devices to introduce so-called "minor mode programs" that ensure its rules are enforced. Incidentally, several leading app developers had started to offer "teenage modes" that restrict the users' access to content and the duration of their use ever since China expressed concern about internet addiction back in 2021.

It is interesting to note that CAC intends to grant parents the liberty to opt out of the time limits for their youngsters. In other words, parents or guardians could choose to do away with the time restrictions.

It is important to note that new rules governing children's smartphone usage have been proposed. The CAC has published its draft guidelines and has invited public feedback until September 2, 2023. However, this didn't stop the share prices of Chinese tech firms taking a nasty tumble.