Back to a topic we raised the other day: parent’s fears that kids are spending too much time indoors and online. We talked about the variety of camps that U.S. teens can attend to get out from behind computer screens (or in some cases, back in front of them). In China, parents have the same concerns but are sending their kids off to a very different kind of camp: Internet addiction rehab clinics. From Reuters:
China is launching an experimental summer camp for 40 youngsters to try to wean them off their internet addiction, state media said.
The 10-day program would accept youngsters aged between 14 and 22 once they had undergone a psychological test and evaluation, the China Daily said.
About 2.6 million - or 13% - of China’s 20 million internet users under 18 are classed as addicts, state media have reported.
The youngsters at the summer camp would be treated for depression, fear, unwillingness to interact with others, panic and agitation.
It would appear to be offering a softer option than the Internet Addiction Treatment Centre near Beijing which uses a blend of therapy and military drills to treat children addicted to online games, internet pornography and cybersex.
China is especially concerned about the “threat” of the internet. The country banned Internet cafes this year and recently imposed mandates that gamers under 18 “do suitable physical exercise” after 3 hours. The latter program is part of a government campaign to combat Internet gaming addiction, “clean up the Internet environment” and “promote civilized Internet use.”
Interestingly, experts in China claim it is parents’ expectations and pressure that is driving kids to become “addicts” in the first place. “With education perceived by many parents as the only means of advancement in an ultra-competitive society of 1.3 billion people, some lock their children up to study and ask teachers to assign them extra homework,” reports the China Daily. The pressure can be too much so “they escape to the virtual world to seek achievements, importance and satisfaction, or a sense of belonging.”
Meanwhile, many people have scored real points thanks to experience garnered in games, and they are working at IBM, Google, Apple…. Everything in moderation, kids, including moderation.
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[...] China is especially concerned about the “threat” of the internet. The country banned Internet cafes this year and recently imposed mandates that gamers under 18 “do suitable physical exercise” after 3 hours. The latter program is part … …more [...]
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