China imposes 3 hr limit for under 18 gamers

[CptStern]

The Chinese govt is requiring game houses to modify MMOG's to restrict under 18 users to 3 hours "productive" gameplay per day. This "anti-addiction" software must be in place within 4 months, with games not compliant by July 15 liable to be shut down in China. Net9, Shanda and NetEase will be moving to comply with the government regulations. Users will have to register with their real names and Chinese identity card numbers to be allowed access to the games."

http://english.people.com.cn/200704/10/eng20070410_364977.html

yay big brother ftw!

I wonder how many hours of teevee they're allowed to watch?

6 1/2 hours of patriotic programming/brainwashing and 30 mins of Chinese idol/brainwashing per day seems about right

Under the system, known as the "anti-online game addiction system", the first 3 hours of play for each day is considered "healthy", during which players will be awarded full points in the virtual world. The next 2 hours will yield only half the normal points and there will be no points after 5 hours.

After the 5-hour limit, players will be subjected every 15 minutes to the warning: "You have entered unhealthy game time, please go offline immediately to rest. If you do not, your health will be damaged and your points will be cut to zero."

lol @ those whacky chinese

 

[The Monkey]

Hardly the worst crime the Chinese regime is responsible for.

 

[The Brick]

Glad I live in the Netherlands.

 

[CptStern]

Hardly the worst crime the Chinese regime is responsible for.

true but constantly reporting on all the aborted fetuses they rip from their mother wombs gets depressing after awhile ...brainwashing can have humourous effects ..I mean look at Numbers

 

[HunterSeeker]

I dont really see the big deal if addiction is a problem for the youth in china. I mean its still 3 hours a day! And its not like we in the west does not restrict the minors in any way...

 

[Gunner]

Let's see if this reduces the numbers of gold farmers on warcraft.

 

[CptStern]

I dont really see the big deal if addiction is a problem for the youth in china. I mean its still 3 hours a day! And its not like we in the west does not restrict the minors in any way...

yes but we dont make it mandatory that game developers attach spyware to their games and force chldren to carry identification cards who's sole use is to monitor their consumption ..shades of george orwell's 1984 ftl ..it's up to the parents to monitor their children not the state

 

[kirovman]

Pity nobody plays with licensed software or hardware, making this law totally unenforcible.

 

[brink's]

I'm thinking a patch will hit the internet a day after this is passed. It's kind of sad that playing a video game is going to be illegal.

 

[CptStern]

Pity nobody plays with licensed software or hardware, making this law totally unenforcible.

lol true but I think it'll be aimed at MMO's

 

[delusional]

it gets even worse, parents are sending their children to clinics to cure them from internet addiction with electroshock therapy.

http://www.panasianbiz.com/2007/02/electric_shock_treatment_for_i.html

 

[gick]

Yet another reason why it sucks to be Chinese.

 

[Walter]

Those sick bastards, torturing innocent gamers like that :cheese: . We must bring democracy!

 

[DEATHMASTER]

O well?

 

[ríomhaire]

Do people have to reference every single piece of government leglislation to 1984?

 

[2Fast4U]

Under the system, known as the "anti-online game addiction system", the first 3 hours of play for each day is considered "healthy", during which players will be awarded full points in the virtual world. The next 2 hours will yield only half the normal points and there will be no points after 5 hours.

After the 5-hour limit, players will be subjected every 15 minutes to the warning: "You have entered unhealthy game time, please go offline immediately to rest. If you do not, your health will be damaged and your points will be cut to zero."

What? :/

 

[15357]

DESTROY COMMUNIST CHINA! FOR THEY ARE EVIL! BLESSED BE THE EMPEROR'S NAME!



That is all.

 

[kirovman]

That's no way for the subject of a vassal state to behave.

 

[Ennui]

Do people have to reference every single piece of government leglislation to 1984?

what's wrong with it? it makes sense and it's all the same point. just because there has been a lot of discussion lately about how frighteningly orwellian some aspects of the world are becoming doesn't mean it's any less valid a point than if no-one had thus far mentioned it.

 

[Glirk Dient]

Do people have to reference every single piece of government leglislation to 1984?

Only if it's relevant. In this case it is. How can the state say what amount of time of gaming, if any is harmful to every single person? Who are they to regulate what you do in your free time.

 

[Nemesis6]

DESTROY COMMUNIST CHINA! FOR THEY ARE EVIL! BLESSED BE THE EMPEROR'S NAME!



That is all.

Hold on, I thought you were Korean. That comment was very Japanese! :O

 

[15357]

That's no way for the subject of a vassal state to behave.

I shall rip your throat DAEMON!

Hold on, I thought you were Korean. That comment was very Japanese! :O

YOU TOO! HERETIC SCUM!

 

[Man|-|unter]

Those sick bastards, torturing innocent gamers like that :cheese: . We must bring democracy!

lmao

 

[Flyingdebris]

i doesn't matter if 3 hours is good for you or not. Its a parents job to make sure their kid doesn't turn into a fat gaming couch potato, not the state's.

 

[Cormeh]

A lot of parents couldn't give a shit though. If WoW (or equal equivalent) keeps the kids out of sight and quiet for a while they won't really bother.

 

[Sulkdodds]

Those sick bastards, torturing innocent gamers like that :cheese: . We must bring democracy!

I will not support America's vile war for points!

 

[15357]

Ok, seriously, LIBERATE CHINA!

 

[The Monkey]

Ok, seriously, LIBERATE CHINA!

Maybe the ROK should invade.

 

[CptStern]

ya send south korea to do it


Numbers your nation needs you ..suit up and ship out, Numbers, the Fatherland needs to liberate china and if they have to kill you in the process well then so be it, it will be worth the sacrifice, herr comrade ...FOR THE FATHERLAND!!! /me chugs shot of cognac

 

[15357]

*watches as goverment people wrap the flag on my door with the words "This is the home of a volunteer"*


The joy of life and the glory of death.....

 

[CptStern]

do they wrap a black flag on your door should you be killed by some errant chinese bullet?

"Poor Numbers, he died saving us from ..umm what were we doing in China again? oh ya defending our glorious leader's interests ..whatever that might be ..oh well on to the next patriot who's ready to throw his life away"

 

[15357]

Dunno, I think they just wrap the flag on my desk at school and put my picture with a white lily and the rose of sharon. White is the color of mourning here, not black.



And they carve my name on that huge stone in the national cemetery, if I die a heroic death, prolly the ethics textbook and maybe a martyrship/posthumous medal of Taeguek, ect.

 

[CptStern]

well none of this will matter when you're six feet under in a pine box ..that is if they find enough to bury after you're incinerated in a mortar attack/run over by a tank/ head blown off by an anti-tank round/etc etc


war is seldom glorious and only for those who write the history books

 

[tehsolace]

I'm surprised, Numbers. I would of thought this sort of thing is what you like the government to be able to do... you're always so pro-big-brother.

 

[Flyingdebris]

South Korea's main export is zerg rushes, do not get between a korean and his gaming.