As the Internet and online games continue to spread through
Chinese society, the authorities have announced measures to prevent
the country's teenagers from becoming addicted to the Internet.
"We should make great efforts to develop 'green' on-line games,
which are suitable for teenagers, and actively recommend them to
teenagers," said a statement jointly published by the Civilization
Office with the Spiritual Civilization Steering Committee, the
Central Committee of Communist Youth League of China, the State
Press and Publication Administration, the Ministry of Information
Industry and the Ministry of Culture.
The ten measures listed in the statement include the compilation
and publication of decent books and movies and the organization of
Internet-related activities for teenagers.
The authorities said they would encourage young game players to
set up alliances in a bid to promote healthy on-line
entertainment.
A 2005 survey showed 13 percent of young Internet users were
addicts and 90 percent of juvenile crimes related to Internet
addiction.
Experts said violence, online chatting, pornography and online
gambling were major attractions.
The statement announced that technical methods would be explored
and applied to prevent teenagers from being harmed by unhealthy
on-line information and help teenagers out of Internet
addiction.
The authorities would also help set up more rehabilitation and
treatment agencies for addicted youth. Response centers would be
established to deal with complaints and reports of unhealthy
on-line behavior.
China, with 111 million Internet users, is the world's second
largest Internet market after the United States.
(Xinhua News Agency October 9, 2006)