China is using facial recognition to limit the time allowed for people playing games under 18 yrs old

[Reality vs Adventure]

Talk about government overreach. China is dictating how much time people play video games as their reasoning is to prevent kids from becoming addicted to gaming. They are using the facial recognition from a data base of facial profiles to recognize if someone is under 18 and between the times of 10pm to 8am they will be blocked from gaming; and a maximum of 90 minutes a day during the week. They also limited the number of monthly microtransactions that is allowed. I personally think that is pretty extreme. And I'm sure there will be mistakes made from the facial recognition that will boot off an adult from gaming. That would piss anyone off. Do you think that is an overreach or is it justified to prevent addiction? And what do they even care if someone plays a lot of games? Are they having a mass addiction in gaming problem? Or is there something else behind it. Do they have facial recognition to block them from watching tv or surfing internet? Pretty extreme. 

https://www.businessinsider.com/tencent-facial-recognition-tech-stop-minors-playing-night-midnight-patrol-2021-7

 

Edited July 7, 2021 by Reality vs Adventure

[Shagger]

I think that this is a little to far with timing how long U18's can game of thier own will, but I actually quite like the idea of limiting thier spending. Game companies and the various bureau's in charge of labelling games to advice people of content (Like the ESRB and PEGI) are doing nothing to curb the pandemic of vulnerable children and adults being suckered in by microtransactions, so it only a matter of time before governments were going to get heavy handed with thier own efforts to resolve the problem. And quite frankly, children in School playing for 90 minutes a day during the week sounds reasonable. It's just a shame that parents couldn't regulate the time children play thier games and the government has to do it for them.

[Crazycrab]

@Reality vs Adventure I don't wanna defend the Chinese Government (trust me, I REALLY don't), but you haven't quite got the full context to this.

 

Gaming addiction is a pretty serious problem in China, more so than it is in the west.  Part of the reason for this is that most don't own a gaming console or PC of thier own, instead they go to 24 hour internet café's.  So when you consider that people including children are gaming and spending in a public space, with pretty much no supervision... I think you start to see the problems.

 

There are people that have legitimately lost their lives in those kind of places after gaming for litteraly days at a time.  It's not such a problem if the people, particularly children are at home like they trypicaly would be over here where that can be supervised or at least have somone knock on the door once in a while.

 

I'm not saying the Chinese Government won't abuse this, they fucking obviously will, but I can see a point to it.

Edited July 8, 2021 by Crazycrab

[Shole]

You have to understed, in China and asia in general 99% of the people use their phone for everything from paying to literary anything, they are mostly on their phone, like throughout the day. Which is terrible for kids as it will damage their eyesight really bad, plus the games in China are made with so many pay for options that it is dangerous for parents to leave the kids with the phone.  Also due to social interaction being as it is in China, people commit suicide because of games so to prevent such an addiction I think it's okay to limit the kids game time, but just so you know most kids bypass that limit with some app's or just enter their mother or father's number in, so it's as most laws in china vaguely followed.

[The Blackangel]

It's sad, and like @Crazycrab I really don't want to defend the Chinese government either, but I have to give credit where credit is due. At least they're TRYING to find some way to fight gaming addiction and micro transactions. This may not be the best idea, but at least it's a step in the right direction.

But either way, it's a hell of a lot more than we're doing here in the US.

Edited July 9, 2021 by The Blackangel

[Reality vs Adventure]

I didn't know it was so bad over there. Being from the USA and the whole facial recognition thing just sounds creepy. But it sounds like they could also have a phone/internet addiction because if you take games away, they are still gonna be on their phones and still gonna go to the cafes for internet. So after they limit game usage, the government will then limit phone usage. I mean, why not; they limit the number of children they can have. And once they turn 18, then it's addiction time again. Their real intentions is probably to free up the servers and satellites. The over 18 group will be next. But I'm just speculating. 

[Withywarlock]

I'm from England so I'm used to the nanny state and excessive surveillance, so I'm rather bias toward this (although, as others have said, I still regret having to defend the Chinese government). While I don't think this is the right approach, they are at least doing something to curb the deaths that come from video game addiction (one such example being in Taiwan). Deep vein thrombosis and other such issues that come from being sat playing games is no joke.

I think this is only treating a symptom, and using a sledgehammer to do so. Why are people playing games for that long? What is being done to curb it in terms of education or regulation?

Edited July 9, 2021 by Withywarlock

[The Blackangel]

I can’t speak for anyone but myself, but the reason I play games for so long is because I’m in a wheelchair and on disability. I have nothing but empty time to fill, and games do the trick. I’m stuck sitting on my fat ass all day. But I don’t only play games. I do use my time productively for a couple hours. I’m using Rosetta Stone to learn Spanish at the moment. But I’m still sitting at the same desk that I game on. Very little movement. I have to have my girl exercise my legs because I don’t have the strength to do it myself.

But luckily, I know when it’s time to get off the computer. When I get so bored I want to strangle myself, it’s time to shut down.

[Family sedan]

I got pretty addicted to gaming in my early 20's, partially because I had moved away from all my friends to a pretty anti-social part of Virginia.  I ended my addiction by tackling more chores and doing more reading.  I don't know if it was a real addiction if I could just cut back like I did though.

[Reality vs Adventure]

14 hours ago, The Blackangel said:

I can’t speak for anyone but myself, but the reason I play games for so long is because I’m in a wheelchair and on disability. I have nothing but empty time to fill, and games do the trick. I’m stuck sitting on my fat ass all day. But I don’t only play games. I do use my time productively for a couple hours. I’m using Rosetta Stone to learn Spanish at the moment. But I’m still sitting at the same desk that I game on. Very little movement. I have to have my girl exercise my legs because I don’t have the strength to do it myself.

But luckily, I know when it’s time to get off the computer. When I get so bored I want to strangle myself, it’s time to shut down.

I'm glad you at least have someone to help you out at times. I can't imagine someone in your position and under 18 being cut off from gaming. Doesn't seem like there are any exceptions. 

[The Blackangel]

1 minute ago, Reality vs Adventure said:

I'm glad you at least have someone to help you out at times. I can't imagine someone in your position and under 18 being cut off from gaming. Doesn't seem like there are any exceptions. 

I'm 39.

[Reality vs Adventure]

1 minute ago, The Blackangel said:

I'm 39.

I worded that wrong-I didn't mean you were under 18 😆

[killamch89]

On 7/7/2021 at 8:34 PM, Crazycrab said:

@Reality vs Adventure I don't wanna defend the Chinese Government (trust me, I REALLY don't), but you haven't quite got the full context to this.

 

Gaming addiction is a pretty serious problem in China, more so than it is in the west.  Part of the reason for this is that most don't own a gaming console or PC of thier own, instead they go to 24 hour internet café's.  So when you consider that people including children are gaming and spending in a public space, with pretty much no supervision... I think you start to see the problems.

 

There are people that have legitimately lost their lives in those kind of places after gaming for litteraly days at a time.  It's not such a problem if the people, particularly children are at home like they trypicaly would be over here where that can be supervised or at least have somone knock on the door once in a while.

 

I'm not saying the Chinese Government won't abuse this, they fucking obviously will, but I can see a point to it.

Same here but I also know this is just the testing phase for things to come such as further limiting free speech.

On 7/9/2021 at 11:19 PM, Family sedan said:

I got pretty addicted to gaming in my early 20's, partially because I had moved away from all my friends to a pretty anti-social part of Virginia.  I ended my addiction by tackling more chores and doing more reading.  I don't know if it was a real addiction if I could just cut back like I did though.

Self-control is one of humanity's greatest challenges and at times, we really need to question why we're overdoing something.

[Family sedan]

I don't know, maybe I should have formed a backgammon club at Manassas Nova.

[Lämmchen]

I would think this should be something that the parents choose for their families and not something that any government should impose. Yes, children's brains and health are at risk if they are constantly are glued to a video game. But parents should be the ones who step in and set boundaries.