Beijing [China], March 16 (HBTV): Chinese officials are aiming to restrict social media and screen time among the youth, citing its adverse impact on their physical health and academic performance, according to a report by Voice of America (VOA).

While some young people in China admit to excessive internet use, many remain skeptical about new government proposals to regulate their online activities.

During China's recent annual political meetings, retired basketball star Yao Ming proposed that children should turn off all electronics for one full day every academic semester and engage in outdoor activities.

Officials also called for stricter controls on online gaming, raising concerns about harmful content and the impact of excessive internet use on minors under the age of 18.

China already enforces some of the world's tightest internet controls, with numerous foreign websites and social media platforms blocked. Despite this, the country has a massive online population.

On Chinese social media, opinions were divided. Some praised the proposed restrictions, while others expressed frustration. Critics pointed out that students already spend long hours in school and rely on internet resources for homework.

'Schools should assign less homework that requires phone check-ins and online research,' wrote one user from Hebei Province.

'Minors get home around 9 p.m. or 10 p.m. at night, so when do they even have time to use social media?' another user from Beijing questioned.

A Beijing college student, speaking anonymously to VOA, said while officials' concerns are valid, such restrictions are unlikely to make a significant impact.

'Chinese teenagers are absolutely addicted to the internet... We use the internet to do almost everything,' the student said. 'I don't really think proposals to limit internet accessibility for young people would be effective.'

According to the 2024 China Game Industry Minor Protection Report, released by the Game Working Committee of the China Audio-Video and Digital Publishing Association, 196 million internet users in China are under the age of 18, with 97.3 per cent having access to the internet.

Will Wang, a Chinese student studying in the United States, observed that Chinese teenagers are highly engaged on platforms like TikTok, RedNote, and Bilibili.

'Most Chinese teenagers don't have much private space at home or school, so the internet becomes their escape,' Wang said. 'For teenagers, if anything, the internet helps them stay connected with their friends and the world.'

Hong Kong-based media commentator Xu Quan added that the internet can help children cope with stress, noting that removing it entirely may harm their mental well-being.

The proposed restrictions build on previous regulations targeting youth internet use. In 2021, China limited gaming hours for minors, banning it between 10 p.m. and 8 a.m. and restricting gaming time to one hour on weekdays and two hours on weekends.

Despite such measures, many minors circumvent these rules by using adult accounts.

A Qiang, a former Chinese media industry professional, argued that the real issue lies in the pressure minors face offline.

'The problem is not that they have too much freedom online but too little freedom offline,' he said. (ANI)