China has drafted a new law to meant to curb the aggressive, often abusive, treatment (like electroshock therapy) that’s used to combat internet addiction — a particular problem among the country’s teenagers.
The law would limit the amount of time minors can play games on the web, both at home and in internet bars. On the table is a provision requiring that would-be players register using their real name, so that their use can be monitored.
Dr. Tao Ran, director of the Internet Addiction Clinic at Beijing Military General Hospital, told the New York Times that he has seen Chinese teenagers suffer from “lasting psychological trauma” after more intense modes of treatment, including the internet detox boot camps enlisted as a “last resort.” Research suggests that medication and cognitive behavioral therapy can be effective, non-invasive, methods of addressing Internet addiction.
Read more on NYT.
Originally published at journal.thriveglobal.com