Chinese Regulators Propose Rules to Limit Smartphone Usage for Users Under 18 to Two Hours Daily

Chinese regulators have proposed draft rules that could limit smartphone usage for individuals under the age of 18 to a maximum of two hours per day, the radical draft rules, set by China’s increasingly influential Cyberspace Administration, shed light on Beijing’s desire to exert control over more aspects of the country’s digital life.

If implemented, these rules could have implications for companies such as Tencent and ByteDance, which operate some of the largest mobile applications in China.

The draft rules from the Cyberspace Administration represent a broader push by Chinese authorities to curb addiction to apps and smartphones among those under 18 and to prevent it.

In 2021, China introduced regulations that banned teenagers under 18 from playing online video games for more than three hours per week.

The draft rules require smartphones to have a “youth mode” for users under 18, which should be easily accessible upon device startup, either as an icon on the home screen or in the device’s system settings.

The youth mode will enable parents to manage what their children can access, and internet service providers will display content based on the user’s age.

According to the Cyberspace Administration, only songs and audio content should be available to children under the age of three.

Individuals aged 12 to 16 can access educational and news content, while those between 16 and 17 can use their phones for a maximum of two hours.

The phone should not provide any services to children from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. the next day, according to the draft rules.

There are some exceptions to these time limits, as regulated educational products or emergency service applications are not restricted, one of the parents will need to verify attempts to exit the youth mode.

The Chinese rules have not been passed yet and are open for public consultation.

There are still questions about how the proposed law will be implemented and enforced and what impact it will have on tech giants in China.

For instance, it is not known who will be responsible for creating the youth mode, whether it’s the operating system provider or the device maker.

In either case, the responsibility could fall on Apple to create something new for its iPhones in China.

Furthermore, it will be determined how the Cyberspace Administration will monitor these time limits and youth mode programs.