In China, a father wants to stop his son from secretly gaming at night – For this, he chooses questionable methods.
Since 2021, there are strict restrictions for minors regarding gaming in China. On Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, minors in China are allowed to play for one hour each, from 8:00 PM to 9:00 PM (via ZDF).
The government aims to reduce the dependency of children and teenagers on online games. They argue that gaming leads to declining eyesight, poorer grades, and insufficient physical activity.
12-year-old has to game for 17 hours straight
A 12-year-old boy from China managed to get online at night. When his father caught him at 1:00 AM during a prohibited online session, he chose a punishment that seemed rather atypical: he told his son that he could play all day without stopping (via Metro).
The son was not allowed to pause even to sleep or for school – such were the conditions set by the parent. What exactly he aimed to achieve with this, the son did not yet suspect at that point.
Consequently, the child played for 17 hours non-stop. Eventually, he felt sick and broke down in tears. When the boy promised his father through tears to never game secretly again, the father saw his struggle as “won” and shared the story on Douyin, the Chinese TikTok.
The father explains that this method works with his son because he is an obedient child and gets good grades. He advises other parents to be cautious (via Jeuxvideo).
What do you think of the father’s “method” of getting his son to stop the forbidden nighttime gaming? What do you think about the restrictions for gaming minors in China? How much were you allowed to play online as a child? Would your parents ever have come up with such an idea? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments here on MeinMMO!
