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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Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol unveil ‘DDLJ’ sculpture at London’s Leicester Square
London (PTI): Bollywood stars Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol huddled under an umbrella on a rainy Thursday in London to unveil their bronze likeness from an iconic ‘Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge’ scene.
The sculpture of the duo joins Leicester Square’s ‘Scenes in the Square’ trail depicting memorable shots from some of the world’s most famous films, with ‘DDLJ’ marking a Bollywood first and the 30th anniversary of the 1995 box-office hit. It is in this popular London square that SRK as Raj and Kajol as Simran first cross paths unknowingly.
“DDLJ was made with a pure heart. We wanted to tell a story about love, how it can bridge barriers and how the world would be a better place if it had a lot of love in it, and I think this is why 'DDLJ' has had a lasting impact for over 30 years now," said Khan.
“Personally, 'DDLJ' is part of my identity, and it is humbling to see film, and Kajol and me, receiving so much love since it was released,” he said.
He expressed his gratitude to the Heart of London Business Alliance, behind the cinematic trail at Leicester Square, for celebrating ‘DDLJ’ and “immortalising” its lead stars.
“Seeing ‘DDLJ’ become the first Indian film to be honoured in the iconic Scenes in the Square trail is an emotional moment and has brought back so many memories.
"I feel immense pride knowing the film has been embraced around the world, and I want to share this moment with the entire cast and crew of ‘DDLJ’, my friend and director Aditya Chopra and the Yash Raj Films family. This is a moment I will never forget,” added Khan.
Kajol, joined by her daughter Nysa and son Yug, posed with Khan in front of the statue as she braved the rain in a green saree.
“It’s incredible to see ‘Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge’ continue to receive so much love, even 30 years later. Watching the statue being unveiled in London felt like reliving a piece of our history - a story that has truly travelled across generations,” said Kajol.
“Seeing it find its rightful place in Leicester Square, a location of such enormous significance to ‘DDLJ’, makes this moment even more special. For the film to be honoured in this way in the UK – the first Indian film to receive such recognition – is something that will forever stay in the hearts and minds of all the ‘DDLJ’ fans across the world,” she said.
Their statue, captured in a dancing pose from the hit song ‘Mehndi Laga Ke Rakhna’, joins the likes of Harry Potter, Bridget Jones, Mary Poppins, and Batman in what is dubbed as an ever-growing celebration of movie magic in a square packed with multiplex cinema screens.
“When ‘Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge’, DDLJ, was released 30 years ago, the film became a defining moment for Indian cinema and changed the face of the industry, capturing the hearts of everyone who saw it all over the globe," said Akshaye Widhani, CEO of Yash Raj Films.
“We’re thrilled to be the first Indian film to be represented in ‘Scenes in the Square’. It also marks 30 years of DDLJ, a film that has spread love and joy globally, and shows the cultural impact it has had in UK.
“We are honoured that our superstars and our film are being recognised on the world stage alongside the Hollywood elite, from Gene Kelly to Laurel & Hardy to Harry Potter. This statue will be a great way to express the international appeal of Indian movies and build bridges amongst communities through cinema,” he said.
Since its release in 1995, ‘DDLJ’ has become the longest-running film in Hindi cinema history.
Ros Morgan, Chief Executive at Heart of London Business Alliance, said: “We’re proud to welcome global megastars Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol to our Scenes in the Square trail.
"Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge is a cinematic phenomenon that has shaped generations, and London’s first tribute to Indian cinema honours a story whose magic continues to captivate audiences worldwide.”
It is a particularly special year for the film, with a musical based on the romance playing to packed houses at Manchester’s Opera House earlier this year. Aditya Chopra reprised his role as director of the English language stage production, ‘Come Fall In Love – The DDLJ Musical’, which revolved around the love story of Simran and Roger.
The script was a nod to the original as it followed Simran as a young British Indian woman who finds herself engaged to a family friend in India in an arranged marriage. However, the plot thickens when she falls in love with a British man named Roger.
