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Chinese Gamers Circumvent Anti-Obsession Measures

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the in-autocratic-china-the-hand-wrings-you dept.

Turtlewind writes "A survey by iResearch China shows that the Chinese Government's "anti obsession" measures, reported on Slashdot last year, are being bypassed by MMORPG gamers. While the controls - which force operators of popular games such as World of Warcraft to impose penalties on players who play for more than three to five hours a day - were welcomed by almost half of Chinese gamers, a core of around 14% of players admitted to registering multiple accounts to get around the restrictions. Meanwhile, the government seems to be taking a different approach to the problem of gaming addiction, planning a campaign over the upcoming summer vacation to increase enforcement of laws banning minors from internet cafes."

7 of 176 comments (clear)

  1. Not surprising. by Khaed · · Score: 4, Insightful

    People get addicted to games. It shouldn't be surprising when the really addicted get around the filters. I imagine it was top priority for a lot of them.

    But, really, more than 5 hours a day? Doesn't your ass get numb?

    1. Re:Not surprising. by Austerity+Empowers · · Score: 4, Insightful

      It'd be my top priority even if I didn't like the game. Imagine, someone telling me what's good for me, and making a law out of it.

      It's like the idiots who were trying to criminalize junk food. Without a law to forbid me, I never eat the crap. If someone tried to make it I'd eat two bags of cheetos, smoke 3 packs a day and wash it all down with a few bottles of whiskey. Just for spite.

      We need to teach them kids some good old fashioned rebelliousness as part of our outsourcing efforts. Make their government pay for enticing our corporations over.

  2. Parents anyone? by andrewman327 · · Score: 4, Insightful
    "...to increase enforcement of laws banning minors from internet cafes."


    Where are there parents while they spend so many hours per day at these places? I think that they should bare some responsibility for their children's actions.

    --
    Information wants a fueled airplane waiting at the hangar and no one gets hurt.
  3. Worst possible solution? by Volanin · · Score: 4, Insightful
    While the controls - which force operators of popular games such as World of Warcraft to impose penalties on players who play for more than three to five hours a day...


    Man... are they really trying to solve the addiction problem by forbidding
    the youngers from playing the games? I have no researches to base my ideas
    on, but to me it seems that's the worst possible approach.

    Bad habits cannot be eliminated. If you want to get rid of a bad habit, you
    must replace it with a good one. The government should be doing some outdoor
    activities campaigns or incentive to practice sports, or anything else
    (the solution, of course, is not so trivial), but restricting the game
    hours allowed, and blocking minors from internet cafes *without*
    replacing this activity for something better will *not* solve
    the problem.

    Hell, it may sound a little pessimistic, but this "solution" may even
    aggravate the problem if these kids/teenagers start developing even
    worst habits like drugs or alcohol because they have nothing else
    to fill their lives with.
    --
    If I clone myself, can I call it a thread?
    If a girl winks to us, can I call it a race condition?
  4. So. by Tim+C · · Score: 4, Insightful

    It's fine to work for 8 to 14 hours a day, but not permitted to perform an entertaining, pleasurable activity for more than 3 to 5 hours?

    I appreciate that some people have a genuine problem with addiction, but I have to question society's priorities sometimes. People do literally work themselves to death, too.

    --
    It's official. Most of you are morons.
    1. Re:So. by Alexandra+Erenhart · · Score: 5, Insightful

      That is because a lot of people see games as "wasting your time". So, for them, is fine to break your back working 8-14 hours a day, because you're "doing something productive". Call it social perception. If you spend 5 hours playing, for them is the same as if you spent those same 5 hours laying over your back admiring the ceiling.

  5. Re:As an outsider... by pr0nbot · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Most MMO's aren't really that great, and force long grinds and tedious gameplay with little reward for the time and money spent.

    Apart from the social aspects of MMOs, I'd say one of the defining factors of their addictiveness is that they're basically easy. You can progress (i.e. gain material rewards) without really having to think much. Contrast this with the real world where reward is not proportional to time or effort.