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China to crack down further on violence in games to improve children's mental health

Healthy China 2030 plan backed by 12 government departments

China to crack down further on violence in games to improve children's mental health

The Chinese government has revealed a new plan to improve the mental health of the nation's children which includes a pledge to crack down on violence in games.

As reported by Technode, the government will place further scrutiny on online games and livestreaming to ensure a better online environment for children, with particular focus being paid to gory violence and pornography.

The plan is part of the country's "Healthy China 2030" initiative, and is being backed by 12 government departments, including the National Radio and Television Administration, National Health Commission and Publicity Department.

Cracking down

China has become increasingly harsh on games over the years, most notably for setting up an approval process for any games that want to be released in the country. In December 2019, a developer was reportedly fined $100,000 for releasing an unapproved game in the region.

Younger gamers in particular have been hit hard by the rulings. In November 2019, the Chinese government limited under 18s to only 90 minutes of game time a day, with no more than ¥400 ($57) to be spent on IAPs per month.


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