The last thing that is lacking in the topic of online gaming is controversy. At this year's two sessions, there were both individual voices of "completely stopping the provision of online game services to minors" and suggestions of "promoting the symbiotic development of the game industry and key cutting-edge technologies in the world, and optimizing the supply of digital products needed for minors' growth".
What do you think of these two contrasting views?
In our view, the former view is a traditional concern about online gaming addiction; The latter suggestion reflects the latest understanding of the current development of China's game industry: with the implementation of the newly revised Law on the Protection of Minors and the new rules on the prevention of game addiction, the problem of online game addiction among minors in China has been effectively improved, and online games need to be "demonized", and they need to be actively developed and utilized.
The phenomenon of online gaming addiction has changed significantly over the past year or so. According to the "2022 Progress Report on the Protection of Minors in China's Game Industry" jointly released by the Game Working Committee of the China Phonological Association, the anti-addiction system of game enterprises covers more than 90% of minor game users, and more than 70% of minors play less than 3 hours per week, and the total game duration of minors, consumption turnover and other data have been greatly reduced.
According to the "Chinese Young Gamers" survey released by professional research firm Niko Partners, since the implementation of the "830 New Regulations" (on August 30, 2021, the State Press and Publication Administration issued the Notice on Further Strictly Managing and Effectively Preventing Minors from Indulging in Online Games), 71% of minors have played less than 3 hours a week.
Data from game platforms shows that from August 2021 to June 2022, the duration of gaming and the proportion of turnover of minors continued to decrease, both at about 1%; During the 2022 winter holidays, an average of 7.92 million game accounts with real-name authentication as minors were blocked every day when trying to log in to the game during non-playable hours.
The starting point for this dramatic change was the summer of 2021. On June 1, 2021, the Law of the People's Republic of China on the Protection of Minors came into force, establishing a separate chapter on "online protection", and on August 30, 2021, the State Press and Publication Administration issued the Notice on Further Strictly Managing and Effectively Preventing Minors from Indulging in Online Games. These two regulations have innovatively developed an online protection system for minors, clarifying the specific responsibilities of regulatory departments such as education, health, press and publication, cultural tourism, and internet information. Provisions are made for content that is likely to cause minors to become addicted to the Internet; There are unprecedentedly strict regulations on real-name registration and login of online game user accounts, online game time, etc. After the issuance of the new regulations, the game industry took the initiative to implement diversified forms of protection for minors, using technical means such as face recognition to prevent minors from fraudulently using their parental identities or renting other people's accounts; Establish a parental supervision platform, open a special line for uninsured services, and launch a self-service system for recharging and refunding minors; Conduct research and training to help improve youth digital literacy and skills, etc.
The industry generally believes that at this stage, China's legal system to prevent youth online game addiction is basically complete, and the ecology of the online game industry has undergone major positive changes. At present, the task of promoting the healthy development of the online game industry and preventing youth addiction mainly focuses on four aspects.
1
Create "physical patches" to block technology in time
Measures vulnerabilities
For example, the platform has accelerated technological updates to prevent various attempts by black ash industry gangs to lift restrictions on minors' gaming accounts. Visible measures to reduce exposure to online games have also been proposed, such as turning off unnecessary software pushes and reducing the lure of electronic products.
2
Build a strong home defense line and set up a protective area that is safe enough
The family is the "last mile" of the protection of minors, and the role of the family is crucial. At present, many of the "back doors" of online game supervision are opened by parents to help their children - the "2022 China Game Industry Juvenile Protection Progress Report" shows that more than 35% of parents of existing underage game users allow their children to register accounts with their ID cards. According to the "Young Chinese Gamer" survey, 82% of underage gamers who spend more than 3 hours of gaming time per week are because their parents allow their children to play games with their identity information. Parents should not only help to see the "back door" of online games, but also do a good job of demonstrating and using good Internet usage habits to let children develop a correct understanding of the Internet.
3
Help minors develop a healthy personality and enhance their "immunity" to addiction
The energy of online games comes from the new discovery of psychological needs, and the most effective preventive measure is to improve the personality of adolescents to improve their own immunity to "addiction". Children are easy to go to the virtual world to find the lack of real life, parents' disrespect for children, lack of real life content will lead to children's lack of confidence and freedom, harmonious and warm families will make children more willing to enjoy the happiness of real life, the demand for online games will naturally decrease. Online game addiction is a "virus" that attacks social development loopholes, and the prevention and control of this virus not only depends on the online game industry, but also requires the strength of the whole society. At this year's National People's Congress and National People's Congress, some deputies and members suggested building a comprehensive social coordination system that "combines blocking and dredging", and increasing investment and opening up of resources such as "offline" moral education, sports, aesthetic education, labor education, and popular science education for young people, so as to help and help them grow up healthily.
4
Develop and utilize the potential of the game industry and enhance its value to economic and social development
Games are not only entertainment, the mainland game industry has developed rapidly in the past decade, with actual sales revenue increasing from 60.2 billion yuan to 296.5 billion yuan, with a compound annual growth rate of 17.4%, becoming one of the fastest-growing, most sustainable and most dynamic industries. The visible, usable, and controllable digital scenarios supported by game technology are providing new technological innovation impetus for industrial manufacturing, autonomous driving, and smart cities. While preventing online game addiction, the economic, social and cultural values behind "Game +" cannot be ignored, and the huge potential contained in game technology is worth digging.
Cyberspace and real space have merged, and this new universe will surely become wider and wider. The governance of online game addiction should move forward on the basis of the existing achievements, discover the complexity of the problem with the most diversified perspective, study the existing experience with the greatest patience and wisdom, and use the most forward-looking measures to maximize the "benefits" of online games and limit the "harm" of online games to the minimum, and the online game space after "demonization" must become more and more exciting. This is a challenge and a driving force for our progress.