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China Bans Physical Punishment For Net Addicts

Posted by ScuttleMonkey on from the no-more-actually-kicking-the-habit dept.

gimmebeer writes to tell us that months after a teen was beaten to death in an Internet boot camp, China has banned the use of physical punishment to help teens kick their net addiction. "The death of 15-year-old Deng Senshan, just hours after he checked into an Internet bootcamp in the southwestern Guangxi region in early August, caused a media storm in China. Days later, another teenager, Pu Liang, was taken to hospital with water in the lungs and kidney failure after a similar attack in Sichuan Province. The government in July had already banned electroshock therapy as a treatment for Internet addiction, after media reports about a controversial psychiatrist who administered electric currents to nearly 3,000 teenagers. The latest guidelines suggest officials in Beijing do not think that those with unhealthy Internet habits should be forced offline permanently."

36 of 139 comments (clear)

  1. Wow, that's impressive by pclminion · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Wow, so you banned beatings for ONE class of prisoners. What a step forward China.

    1. Re:Wow, that's impressive by timeOday · · Score: 2, Informative

      Wow, so you banned beatings for ONE class of prisoners. What a step forward China.

      Nice spin. What this is, is regulations on treatments requested by parents, akin to Outward Bound in the US.

    2. Re:Wow, that's impressive by palegray.net · · Score: 5, Insightful

      The parent should not be modded "flamebait." If this is how people who have been determined to suffer from an addiction to the Internet are treated, imagine what must be happening to those diagnosed with more "serious" addictions to other vices. Add in gross human rights violations against those accused of actual crimes, and the situation begins to look very grim.

      --
      512 MB RAM, 20 GB disk, 200 GB transfer, five datacenters. $19.95/month.
    3. Re:Wow, that's impressive by Darkness404 · · Score: 5, Insightful
      A prisoner is defined as:

      a person who is confined; especially a prisoner of war

      lets see here, the kids A) Didn't choose to come on their free will B) Can't leave when they choose C) Are mentally stable and can make their own decisions and D) are being held against their will. I would call them prisoners.

      --
      Taxation is legalized theft, no more, no less.
    4. Re:Wow, that's impressive by palegray.net · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Prison rape is absolutely nothing to laugh at, nor did my response include any verbiage saying that.

      Your reply is a commonly used and rather disingenuous ploy to misdirect attention from the topic being discussed. I could easily rephrase it as "but bad things happen in other parts of the world, so this doesn't matter!" Such silly attacks on the U.S. contribute nothing to attempts at addressing the matter at hand.

      Try living in China for a year. Try living in the United States for a year. While the U.S. certainly has its own problems, I'd love to hear your report on how awful things are here compared to China.

      --
      512 MB RAM, 20 GB disk, 200 GB transfer, five datacenters. $19.95/month.
    5. Re:Wow, that's impressive by NeutronCowboy · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Yes. In this case, one is government sanctioned, the other is illegal. One has no recourse, the other has (theoretically) the recourse of a criminal proceeding.

      --
      Those who can, do. Those who can't, sue.
    6. Re:Wow, that's impressive by palegray.net · · Score: 2, Informative

      I'll believe what you're saying as soon as I can verify it with independent media reports from a free press in China. I'm not holding my breath.

      --
      512 MB RAM, 20 GB disk, 200 GB transfer, five datacenters. $19.95/month.
    7. Re:Wow, that's impressive by Jeeeb · · Score: 2, Interesting

      They're not prisoners. These are not state run institutions. Parents send their kids to these institutions voluntarily. Now obviously there is a problem with violence in these 'camps' and the government has stepped in to regulate. How exactly is it that you manage to fault the government (I'm assuming when you say China you're not referring to the entire nation) for this?

    8. Re:Wow, that's impressive by schon · · Score: 5, Insightful

      A) Didn't choose to come on their free will B) Can't leave when they choose C) Are mentally stable and can make their own decisions and D) are being held against their will.

      By your intrepretation a toddler put in a crib is also a prisoner.

      Methinks you skipped some of the criteria there.

    9. Re:Wow, that's impressive by Mr.+Freeman · · Score: 3, Informative

      "By your interpretation a toddler put in a crib is also a prisoner. "

      NO! They're not. You clearly didn't bother to actually didn't read his post, did you?
      You missed the first line of his post: "C) Are mentally stable and can make their own decisions"
      Toddlers are not mentally stable and can't make their own rational decisions, which is exactly what he was referring to.

      --
      -1 disagree is not a modifier for a reason. -1 troll, flaimbait, redundant, overrated are NOT acceptable substitutes.
    10. Re:Wow, that's impressive by palegray.net · · Score: 4, Insightful

      I have several friends from China, and have heard first-hand accounts of the oppression at play there. Visiting China does not give an accurate impression of what it's like to live under the thumb of a regime that doesn't respect free spech, freedom of the press, etc. Foreign nationals who "make trouble" for the Chinese government are routinely asked politely to leave. Of those who decide not to comply, they are removed by force, also known as being escorted out by armed agents. In some cases, they are arrested and confined until their home country can arrange for a quiet release.

      I am quite familiar with the methods employed by the Chinese government to paint a pretty picture of the nation for tourists, and I'm not fooled. Let's have a look at the number of people emigrating to the U.S. from China, and contrast it with the number of people moving in the opposite direction.

      --
      512 MB RAM, 20 GB disk, 200 GB transfer, five datacenters. $19.95/month.
    11. Re:Wow, that's impressive by mysidia · · Score: 2, Interesting

      C) Are mentally stable and can make their own decisions

      Without an objective criteria for mental stability, that's a real hard one to avoid the ''captors'' satisfying.

      They can claim that someone demonstrated to have an internet addition is unstable and can't make good decisions.

      For example, if they choose to leave, they will be satisfying their addiction in a way that harms them, negatively impacts their social life, etc.

      Further, their mental stability may be questioned on the basis of them spending 30 hours a week online, instead of going out with RL friends.

    12. Re:Wow, that's impressive by Jeeeb · · Score: 2, Informative

      The 1980's called it wants its stereotype back. Seriously TFS and TFA both talked about the media's role in reporting this and encouraging the authorities to do something about it. No mysterious disappearances or anything. All we have here is privately run camps running amok and the government stepping in to regulate after it becomes widely reported in the media.

    13. Re:Wow, that's impressive by bogjobber · · Score: 2, Interesting

      If Americans were REALLY interested in the welfare of Chinese people, they'd allow free trade with China. Oh wait, oops, this will cause American manufacturing to completely collapse. Can't do that then.

      The US doesn't have free trade with China? What planet do you live on? We definitely have our trade disputes and protectionism, but that runs both ways and is in no way specific to China. We have had similar tariff and trade disputes with every other country that is a major trading partner (easy examples being Japanese auto manufacturing and Canadian lumber).

      As for the US attempting to make China impoverished, I can't even imagine the version of reality where you think this is happening. The trade relationship the United States and China have built since the cultural revolution is the single largest reason for the growth of the Chinese economy and economic progress of Chinese citizens. (I am not claiming the Americans are responsible for China's progress, just that we have been their most important economic partner for most of the last 30 years.)

      You have a completely misinformed view of the Sino-American relationship. I suggest you take a second look at the situation.

      And all of this is completely irrelevant. China is not somehow excused from treating their citizens like animals because the US is protectionist or imperialist in its trade policies. They are separate issues. You are only aiding an oppressive government by shifting blame away to the "evil Americans." China's ongoing human rights violations are horrifying, and are rightfully reviled by the rest of the world.

  2. Physical Punishment by NoYob · · Score: 2, Funny
    Is that the translation of the euphemism they use in China for masturbation?

    So, the Chinese are banning beating off to porn or something?

    No, I haven' read the article yet. Why do you ask?

    --
    It's NOT me! It's the meds! I'm on 1000mg of Fukitol.
    1. Re:Physical Punishment by PDX · · Score: 2, Funny

      Say goodbye to the internet BD/SM crowd in China.

  3. Re:STFU if you're an American! by pclminion · · Score: 4, Insightful

    No. Fuck you. I speak out against this sort of torture and abuse no matter who commits it, or who it is committed against. Apparently, you think it's okay.

  4. Keepin' the Chinaman down!! by freedomseven · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Progressive measures like this are the things that keep innovation down. They don't understand why you need to be on the internet so much so they decide you are sick, deamonize the "illness", and take steps to cure you. Thanks guys. We need you guys on the side line so that we can catch back up.

    1. Re:Keepin' the Chinaman down!! by Vegeta99 · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Not even close, dood. I'm not going to kill a family of 4 if I crash my computer because I'm on the damn net too much.

  5. Great strides are being made by GringoChapin · · Score: 3, Funny

    It's nice to see that China is slowly but surely entering the 18th century. You can do it guys!

  6. Re:STFU if you're an American! by e9th · · Score: 2, Funny

    I agree. Outsourcing is just plain wrong.

  7. I read this as.... by russ1337 · · Score: 5, Funny

    "The death of 15-year-old Jake Simpson, just hours after he checked into an Copyright bootcamp in the southwestern Californian region in early August, caused a media storm in the USA. Days later, another teenager, Paul Schmitt, was taken to hospital with water in the lungs and kidney failure after a similar attack in Seattle. The government in July had already banned electroshock therapy as a treatment for Copyright Infringers, after media reports about a controversial RIAA psychiatrist who administered electric currents to nearly 3,000 teenagers. The latest guidelines suggest officials in Washington do not think that those with unhealthy copyright habits should be forced offline permanently."

  8. Re:STFU if you're an American! by FlyingSquidStudios · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Apparently, some people still don't understand this whole 'representative democracy' thing. Many Americans- millions- never supported and never will support torture. We didn't vote for those who did, we didn't support their policies and some of us would even like to see them do prison time for them.

    --
    http://twitter.com/OLDTELEGRAM
  9. Wrong source? by BoppreH · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Electroshock therapy for Internet addiction? Are you sure this isn't from The Onion?

    1. Re:Wrong source? by CannonballHead · · Score: 2, Informative

      apparently not

  10. Why don't they go all the way? by HalAtWork · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Why don't they go all the way and ban physical punishment? Is there any good reason to punish someone that way? Does it even help rehabilitate those who "require punishment"? Physically restraining someone is required to make someone submit if they are acting violent themselves, but that's different than physical punishment.

    --
    Twinstiq, game news
    1. Re:Why don't they go all the way? by khallow · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Punishment isn't about rehabilitation. It is about making sure criminals suffer some publicly so that victims don't take the law into their own hands. It's not about revenge, but a ritual "paying of dues" so that victims are placated and actual revenge doesn't occur.

    2. Re:Why don't they go all the way? by stephanruby · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Punishment is about protection, reparations, rehabilitation, and vindication, yes, but it's not just about those. It's also about deterrence -- a show of power -- a show of force for both sides involved, plus anyone else who gets to see it or hear about it.

  11. How to freak them out by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

    As proposed earlier: Give gaming addicts a computer, where they can start whichever game they want, however where all the games only play themselves.

    That should teach them, and after about a week of staring at the screen they might just start to do other things a slight bit at a time.

    1. Re:How to freak them out by koxkoxkox · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Do you know on Korea you can watch Starcraft games on TV ? With excited commentators and all ? Didn't know a word of Korean but that was fun anyway.

  12. Back to phychoterror then... by Hurricane78 · · Score: 3, Insightful

    ...because in the eyes of the uneducated masses, that is still seen as "not real" and "just imaginary hurting". Despite modern neurology having proven, that the brain literally can't distinguish between those types of pains. (So a broken heart really actually hurts! And hurting you feelings creates real actual physical pain.)
    Also, it is much harder to heal a fucked up mind, that a fucked up body. (From what is seen as "equally bad".)

    But hey: It's invisible, so it can't be real. Any don't be a pussy anyway! Stop crying! He didn't beat you. It's just words. Right??

    Welcome to the dark ages. You never left them.

    --
    Any sufficiently advanced intelligence is indistinguishable from stupidity.
  13. It might work by Snaller · · Score: 3, Funny

    After all the only way to "win" the "war" on drugs - is to start punishing those who DO drugs - not the ones selling it.

    --
    If Google really cared they would fix Android Chrome to reflow text, instead of discriminating
  14. these camps by euyis · · Score: 5, Interesting

    The real nature of these camps:

    Parents take the children (not always children, at least in one case it's an adult - university student) to the camps, with force or deception, pay the camp owner money and leave. No questions asked - they don't care whether the "patients" are really "net addicted" or not. Then the victims are stuck here, beaten and drugged by the drillmasters every day. Most of them are runied forever when they leave (alive).

    So it's basically a way for the parents to get rid of their problematic children, without trying to solve the real problem behind - survey indicates that most "net-addicted" children's parents have bad habits, e.g. addiction to gambling, and don't care what does the child think.

    1. Re:these camps by RedBear · · Score: 2, Informative

      Although the behavior of all people on Earth is superficially similar, many cultures such as the Asians have decidedly different attitudes toward children than we do in the US. In Asian cultures the family name comes before the individual's name, emphasizing the fact that the individual is less important than the family. Any member of a family that causes the family to "lose face", or become dishonored in the eyes of others, is seen as a liability to the family. Protecting the family name is often put before the desire to protect one's offspring. It's really only a matter of degree.

      The attitude we have in the US to the importance of children is actually abnormal compared to a large percentage of the rest of the world. In parts of Africa there are some truly horrible things done to children by their own parents. Due to lack of resources, there is a strange phenomena where the youngest child is often suddenly accused of witchcraft and either murdered or cast out on the street and usually drummed out of town, never to be allowed to return. Usually the accuser is the mother (although often a step-parent, not biological parent of the accused child). Africa is far from the only place where such things happen to children.

      The universality of "humanity" as defined by the unconditional love and protection of children is vastly overestimated. If you don't believe what I've described because you can't imagine feeling that way toward children, well, you need to do more research. Unmodified human nature is really a lot uglier than most people realize.

  15. Re:Ironic by mysidia · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Better analogy...

    China: You were shot in the head 20 years ago... every few years, the doctor is working on the bullet a little more, taking another piece out safely. You can't leave the bed until every bit is removed.

    The US: You haven't quite been shot yet.. you are strapped down to a table, fully restrained, the gun is above your head, at the other end of a tube also strapped to your head, the trigger was pulled 20 years ago.

    The bullet is inching down a few centimeters every year.

    It's only a matter of time before it hits you... one year was the Sonny Bono copyright extension act... next year was the DMCA... pirate act of 2004... next year was the broadcast flag......

    The bullet is coming towards you.. they've put you on just enough tranquilizers to keep you from moving, you're fully conscious of your fate, and there are lots of people in the room, but they've all got iPod earbuds or plugs in their ears, so they can't hear your screams..

    So which one's worse?

  16. Re:Ironic by bogjobber · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I hate US copyright law as much as anyone, but comparing the DMCA and broadcast flag to the torture and murder of addicts is absurd.