China wants to limit teens to using their phones for just an hour a day to fight rising 'internet addiction'

• The Cyberspace Administration of China announced proposed regulations for children's smartphone usage.
• Those between the ages of eight and 16 would be limited to using them for just one hour a day.

China could restrict teenagers to using their phones for just one hour a day, under draft rules proposed by the country's cyberspace regulator.

The Cyberspace Administration of China announced potential guidelines on Wednesday that include limits seeking to prevent "the problem of minors' internet addiction."

No Chinese person under 18 would be allowed to use a smartphone for more than two hours a day if the rules become law.

And those older than eight but younger than 16 would be limited to one hour a day, while children under eight would be restricted to 40 minutes daily.

The regulator is proposing that all smartphones come with an easily accessible "minor mode" to enforce the restraints.

That would also prevent children from using their phones between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m., except for education products and emergency services.

It includes guidelines for "exclusive content pools" at different age brackets. For children under three, it's recommended that they be shown songs and other audio-focused content.

And parents would be allowed to manage what their kids see, as well as the ability to block or follow users on social media apps.

If the rules are implemented, it could have a big impact on Chinese app companies like Tencent and ByteDance.

In 2021, China imposed strict time limits on video games for children, which restricted them to playing three hours a week.

And then, during a four-week winter break, Tencent said elementary school kids could only use its gaming platform for a total of 14 hours.

The CAC's proposed rules are currently open for public consultation.