Tackling online addiction among minors is not a game

However, in rural areas, children whose parents leave home to go and work in big cities are more likely to spend their time gaming, says Lu.

Lu went back to her husband's hometown, a village in Handan, Hebei province, this summer. She saw her 13-year-old nephew spend all day long playing online games without anyone interfering.

"It's very common to see children playing games in villages. Their parents are far away and their grandparents who look after them, for the most part, don't have an understanding of the internet," Lu adds.

Fang Shishi, an assistant professor with Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, says that many games are specially designed to keep users playing. Children are most vulnerable to the addictive gameplay.

"Even adults can get addicted to some games," says Fang, who has kept a close eye on internet trends for years.

"Although the influence of video games on children has yet to be discussed, we're sure that addiction to games is unhealthy for them. That's why we need the government to issue guidelines to create a better internet environment for youngsters," adds Fang.

Since 2005, the central government has started launching guidelines to curb game addiction. In 2017, it required that everyone playing video games should register using their IDs. The newly revised Law on the Protection of Minors, which came into effect on June 1, has specified details on game services provided for underage users and restrictions on playing time.

Representatives during the annual session of the National People's Congress in March also made proposals to curb game addiction, such as the facial recognition requirement when logging into a game.

"As well as the government's efforts, to create a good internet environment, families are also important," says Fang.

To guide his son in developing healthy gaming habits, Huang Xiaolin spent two years being teammates with his son in Game for Peace, a survival game played via the mobile internet.

Huang, a 40-year-old software engineer in Beijing, found that his then 12-year-old son was becoming addicted to video games.

The concerned father didn't rebuke his son. He registered for the game, paid a game expert to learn playing skills and quickly became a good player himself. Huang obfuscated his true identity in the game and eventually became one of his son's most trusted teammates.

"We made a deal in the game on when to play and how long to play. He admired me so much that he obeyed all the rules I made," says Huang.

The father and son play games together on weekends and during holidays. Huang also accompanies his son to do sports after school, such as badminton and swimming.

"The game, to some point, enhances my relationship with my son if used in a right way," says Huang, adding that family education and the company of parents play a vital role in creating a healthy internet environment.

Contact the writer at dengzhangyu@chinadaily.com.cn