China restricted young people from video games; but kids evading bans, getting into trouble
Sydney (PTI): (The Conversation) In late November, Australia’s federal parliament passed landmark legislation banning under-16s from accessing social media.
Details remain vague: we don’t have a complete list of which platforms will fall under the legislation, or how the ban will look in practice. However, the government has signalled that trials of age assurance technologies will be central to its enforcement approach.
Video games and online game platforms are not currently included in Australia’s ban of social media. But we can anticipate how enforcing an online ban might (not) work by looking at China’s large-scale use of age verification technologies to restrict young people’s video game consumption.
In China, strict regulations limit children under 18 to just one hour of online gaming on specified days. This approach highlights significant challenges in scaling and enforcing such rules, from ensuring compliance to safeguarding privacy.
‘Spiritual opium’: video games in China
China is home to a large video game industry. Its tech giants, like Tencent, are increasingly shaping the global gaming landscape. However, the question of young people’s consumption of video games is a much thornier issue in China.
The country has a deep cultural and social history of associating video games with addiction and harm, often referring to them as “spiritual opium”. This narrative frames gaming as a potential threat to the physical, mental and social wellbeing of young people.
For many Chinese parents, this perception shapes how they view their children’s play. They often see video games as a disruptive force that undermines academic success and social development.
Parental anxiety like this has paved the way for China to implement strict regulations on children’s online gaming. This approach has received widespread parental support.
In 2019, China introduced a law to limit gaming for under 18-year-olds to 90 minutes per day on weekdays and three hours on weekends. A “curfew” would prohibit gameplay from 10pm to 8am.
A 2021 amendment further restricted playtime to just 8pm to 9pm on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays.
In 2023, China expanded this regulatory framework beyond online gaming to include livestreaming platforms, video-sharing sites and social media. It requires the platforms to build and complete “systems for preventing addiction”.
How is it enforced?
Leading game companies in China are implementing various compliance mechanisms to ensure adherence to these regulations. Some games have incorporated age-verification systems, requesting players to provide their real name and ID for age confirmation.
Some even introduced facial recognition to ensure minors’ compliance. This approach has sparked privacy concerns.
In parallel, mobile device manufacturers, app stores and app developers have introduced “minor modes”. This is a feature on mobile games and apps that limits user access once a designated time limit has been reached (with an exception for apps pre-approved by parents).
A November 2022 report by the China Game Industry Research Institute – a state-affiliated organisation – declared success. Over 75% of minors reportedly spent fewer than three hours a week gaming, and officials claimed to have curbed “internet addiction”.
Yet these policies still face significant enforcement challenges, and highlight a wider set of ethical issues.
Does it work?
Despite China’s strict rules, many young players find ways around them. A recent study revealed more than 77% of the minors surveyed evaded real-name verification by registering accounts under the names of older relatives or friends.
Additionally, a growing black market for game accounts has emerged on Chinese commerce platforms. These allow minors to rent or buy accounts to sidestep restrictions.
Reports of minors successfully outsmarting facial recognition mechanisms – such as by using photos of older individuals – underscore the limits of tech-based enforcement.
The regulation has also introduced unintended risks for minors, including falling victim to scams involving game account sellers. In one reported case, nearly 3,000 minors were collectively scammed out of more than 86,000 yuan (approximately A$18,500) while attempting to bypass the restrictions.
What can Australia learn from China?
The Chinese context shows that a failure to engage meaningfully with young people’s motivations to consume media can end up driving them to circumvent restrictions.
A similar dynamic could easily emerge in Australia. It would undermine the impact of the government’s social media ban.
In the lead-up to the law being introduced, we and many colleagues argued that outright bans enforced through technological measures of questionable efficacy risk being both invasive and ineffective. They may also increase online risks for young people.
Instead, Australian researchers and policymakers should work with platforms to build safer online environments. This can be done by using tools such as age-appropriate content filters, parental controls and screen time management features, alongside broader safety-by-design approaches.
These measures empower families while enabling young people to maintain digital social connections and engage in play. These activities are increasingly recognised as vital to children’s development.
Crucially, a more nuanced approach fosters healthier online habits without compromising young people’s privacy or freedom.
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Krunal's rare IPL fifty helps RCB beat DC and extend unbeaten away run
RCB jump to top of IPL 2025 points table
New Delhi, Apr 27 (PTI): Krunal Pandya recorded his first fifty in IPL since 2016, helping Royal Challengers Bengaluru pull off a six-wicket win over Delhi Capitals on a challenging Feroz Shah Kotla track here on Sunday.
Krunal (73 not out of 47 balls), who has part of every IPL season since his debut in 2016, paced his innings perfectly while batting alongside chase master Virat Kohli (51 off 47).
The duo shared a 119-run stand off 84 balls as RCB chased down 163 in 18.3 overs to extend their unbeaten run away from home.
RCB bowlers put a squeeze on Delhi Capitals in the middle overs through Josh Hazlewood and the spinners to limit the home team to 162 for six.
For RCB, it was their seventh win in 10 games while DC suffered only their third loss in nine matches. Both teams are on course to make the play-offs.
At 26 for three, RCB felt the heat before Krunal and Kohli bailed them out.
In his maiden season for RCB, Krunal has made valuable contributions with both bat and ball.
On Sunday night, Kohli played the perfect anchor as Krunal came up with timely hits on a difficult surface to deliver a fine win for his team. His straight hit through the line off Mukesh Kumar and an aerial drive over cover off the wily Kuldeep Yadav stood out among his four sixes.
Kohli's consistency has been remarkable this season and the knock against DC was his sixth 50-plus score in 10 innings. The highlight of his solid effort was the straight drive off Mitchell Starc.
The night, however, belonged to Krunal who collected only his second 50-plus score in 116 IPL innings.
Earlier, K L Rahul (41 off 39 balls) was the top-scorer for DC but it was Tristian Stubbs (34 off 18 balls) who helped the hosts post a fighting total.
RCB put the opposition in to bat, expecting better batting conditions during the run chase.
Faf du Plessis (22 off 26 balls) returned from injury to join Abhishek Porel (28 off 11) at the top of the order but it was the latter who ensured DC reached 52 for two in the powerplay.
The southpaw, who has been in fine form this season, came up with a couple of sizzling sixes in his entertaining cameo. Both came off Bhuvneshwar Kumar -- one was a left-handed hit over mid-wicket and the second was a pick-up shot over fine leg.
As veteran du Plessis struggled to get going at the other end, Porel found the ropes with relative ease.
Lead RCB pacer Hazlewood, who has been relentless with his hard lengths, took three balls to get the breakthrough as he cramped Porel to have him caught behind down the leg side.
Karun Nair, who began with a short arm pull off Hazlewood for a boundary, played an ordinary shot off Yash Dayal in the following over and his mishit was pouched at mid-wicket.
The spinners got into operation after the powerplay and overs 7-10 was the phase when RCB were able to stem the flow of runs, conceding just 20 runs off the four overs from Suyash Sharma and Krunal Pandya, who got rid of du Plessis in that period.
It was only towards the end of the innings that DC managed to get some momentum, all thanks to the blitzkrieg from Stubbs.
The 18th and 19th over from Hazlewood and Dayal yielded 17 and 19 runs, enabling DC to cross the 160-run mark.
Brief Scores:
Delhi Capitals: 162 for 8 in 20 overs (KL Rahul 41; Bhuveshwar Kumar 3/33).
Royal Challengers Bengaluru: 165 for 4 in 18.3 overs (Krunal Pandya 73, Virat Kohli 51; Axar Patel 2/19).
