Screen Time
As a kid, I loved playing video games. In fact, from the ages of 10 to 16, my main priority in life outside of school was playing video games. Let’s face it, they’re addicting, especially for kids. It wasn’t uncommon for my mom to tell me 2 or 3 times to get off the dang game and go to sleep before I’d get off the game and go to sleep. Most of us have probably experienced getting yelled at by our parents to limit our gaming time, but what if the government demanded you limit your gaming time instead?
According to new guidelines issued Monday by China’s National Press and Publication Administration, children, and teenagers under 18 will be permitted to play online video games for no more than three hours each week.
The action is a further setback for China’s gaming behemoths, like Tencent, which have faced a slew of new regulations this year, ranging from anti-monopoly to data privacy. Shares of Tencent fell more than 2% after China’s announcement. It seems the new rule has alarmed investors.
I know what you’re thinking — 3 hours per week isn’t a lot of time to play games. Back in my day, 3 hours wasn’t even enough for a single session with my friends. But China has said the regulations are designed to protect children’s physical and emotional wellbeing. Staring at screens for multiple hours a day can create attention and learning problems and contribute to obesity.
Do you think this is the right move by China, or do you think it should be up to parents to decide how long their children play video games?
I am not a financial advisor and my comments should never be taken as financial advice. Investments come with risk, so always do your research and analysis beforehand.
