Chinese Government Drafts New Resolution To Require ‘Youth Mode’ For All Online Services

The Chinese government intensifies its iron-fisted control on the video game industry in the country with new restrictions for online platforms, including games, live-streaming, video, audio, and social media.

According to the South China Morning Post, the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) has drafted new regulations as part of their efforts to limit minors’ access to internet services. Once the regulation passes, all online service providers will be required to implement a “youth mode” that will come will limit usage time and restrict access to content, functions, and purchases.

This is in addition to the previously-enacted regulations that limited the video game playing time of teenagers to just three hours per week on weekends. The Chinese government also continues its freeze on new game approvals and its efforts to crackdown on mature and LGBTQ+ content in games.

The news immediately took a toll on Chinese media companies as Tencent and NetEase’s stock prices dip by 10% and 8%, respectively. Bilibili, a Chinese live-streaming app, also saw its stock prices plunge by 19%.