"Oh, that's an Idea" U.S. Parents Respond to China Screen Time Ban

Content of the article Raleigh Smith Duttweiler was folding laundry in her Ohio home, her three children playing video game Minecraft upstairs when she was listening to an NPR report about new rules in China that prohibit teens and children under 18 from playing video games for more than three hours a week.

"Oh this is a great idea," Duttweiler, who works in public relations at a nonprofit she recalls thinking. "My American gut instinct: This is an infringement on rights and you can't dictate what we do inside of our own homes.

'Oh, that's a great idea ...': U.S.

Article content "On the other hand, it's not particularly good for kids to play like my own children play. It would be much simpler to turn off the device if it wasn't just arguing with Mommy , but actually saying that the police told me that. '"

Article content Duttweiler like many other families, was astonished Monday by the announcement of the country's strict social intervention. This was a measure regulators felt was needed to stop a growing addiction to "spiritual opioids". It also highlights the challenge of limiting video game use in the home, particularly during the pandemic.

China's regulator said that the new rules were a response to growing concerns about games affecting children's mental and physical health. This concern was shared by experts and parents in the United States.

Content of the article Paul Morgan, a father of two teens and a Penn State professor who studies electronic device use, sees problems with the ban while acknowledging the challenges of limiting screen time for children. "These electronic devices are everywhere," Morgan said. "It's extremely difficult to keep children away from them."

Yet Morgan states that negative associations with screen time are especially evident for heavy users, possibly due to the fact that they are able to block out activities like sleep or exercise. The ban does not tackle social media use which is believed to be especially harmful for girls. Some populations, like students with disabilities, might be able to benefit from the social interaction offered by video games.

Shira Weiss is a publicist from New Jersey who works with technology clients including a videogame business. Best minecraft servers She sees value in games that keep her twins connected to their peers. However, she would like to limit how long they engage in violent games.

Content of the article "I believe that the Chinese rules are good," Weiss said. "You're still saying , 'Play video games,' but you're setting limits." She added, jokingly: "Can they come here and impose this restriction on my house?"

Michael Gural-Maiello, who is employed in business development at an engineering company and has an 11-year-old son believes that parents should be the ones regulating their children's gaming habits.

"I do not believe that governments have a place in telling parents what they should be spending their time," Gural-Maiello said. "China has a bad record in the field of technology. I would be far more worried about my son using apps made in China and collect data rather than him playing Mario Kart."