13% of China surfers Net ‘addicts’
p2pnet news | freedom:- Some 2.6 million, or 13%, of China’s 20 million Net users under 18 are officially classified as addicts, says China Daily.
How did that come about? It might be because in the eyes of the Chinese authorities, the Net is a bad influence.
Too much of it might have people thinking and acting for themselves. And that can’t be allowed.
Now über-surfers are labelled “addicts” and with that in mind, the country has fired up what it’s calling an experimental summer camp to “wean” 40 youngsters off the Net.
The 10-day programme would accept youngsters aged between 14 and 22 after they’ve had a psychological test and evaluation, continues China Daily, quoted in The Star, Malaysia.
The story doesn’t say what kind of techniques will be used to cure the patients, but hopefully, they won’t be as drastic as those used at the Beijing Military Region Central Hospital.
There, electric shocks are favoured to “treat” addicts as young as 12.
To make doubly sure the problem is adequately dealt with, the Chinese government, “is now taking steps to stem Internet addictions by banning new Internet cafes and mulling restrictions on violent computer games,” says the story.
“According to government figures, there are currently 113,000 Internet cafes and bars in China,” it says.
And, “In a joint effort with the camp, Shanghai’s education commission has organised a volunteer group to patrol the city streets and stop minors entering Internet cafes,” adds the Star.
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Also See:
The Star – China hopes to cure Internet addicts at summer camp, August 7, 2007
electric shocks – Shocking China ‘Net addict’ cure, February 23, 2007
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