In recent years, China’s government has vociferously criticized video games, which it says have a deleterious effect on children. Last week, the Chinese government announced a new policy which will introduce strict controls on minors playing video games, through a real-name user identification system. Chinese citizens aged under 18 years old will be banned from playing online games between 10pm and 8am and will be restricted to 90 minutes per day outside these hours during weekdays, and three hours on weekends and during holidays. Spending limits will also be introduced to restrict the amount of money minors are able to spend on online games.
According to reporting by the BBC, in addition to announcing a video game curfew on Nov. 5, the Chinese authorities also introduced restrictions on spending. Spending by Chinese gamers aged between eight and 16 years old will be capped at 200 yuan (approx. NT$880) per month, while 16-18-year-olds will be limited to 400 yuan (approx. NT$1,700).
Underage gamers will be required to register using their real names and provide additional information to verify their identity, including their mobile phone number and WeChat ID. Although all gamers must already provide valid identification credentials to register an online gaming account, in reality a large number of underage gamers use their parents’ information to register. This has made it difficult for the authorities to implement effective controls. Under the new system, the Chinese government will work with law enforcement agencies to build a “unified identification system” that can be used by all gaming platforms
Photo: EPA-EFE
照片：歐新社
Last year the WHO for the first time listed gaming addiction as a mental illness. Having previously strongly criticized video game companies for products that have a negative effect on children, last year the Chinese government established a gaming regulator, delivering a blow to the lucrative gaming industry.
China is currently the second-largest market for video games in the world. The increased regulations imposed on the industry by China’s government have already started to bite. This year the US is forecast to overtake China as the world’s largest revenue-generating market for video games.
(Translated by Edward Jones, Taipei Times)
Photo: Reuters
照片：路透
中國政府近年大力批評「電玩遊戲」可能對青少年產生不良影響，因此上週公布了新政策，嚴格要求未成年玩家以「實名制」認證身分，並禁止十八歲以下的玩家在晚上十點到早上八點間上線玩遊戲，平日也只能玩九十分鐘，假日則限制為三小時；同時也限制玩家花費在遊戲上的金錢。
據英國廣播電台報導，中國政府十一月五日宣布實施青少年的「電玩宵禁」，此外連消費都有限制，八到十六歲的玩家每月最多只能花費人民幣兩百元（約新台幣八百八十元），而十六到十八歲玩家最多能花費人民幣四百元（約新台幣一千七百元）。
若未成年玩家欲註冊遊戲帳號，皆須以「實名制」進行驗證，包括「本人的」手機號碼、微信帳號或其他個資等，所有網遊用戶皆須使用有效的身分資訊才能註冊，但實際上仍有許多未成年人使用家長資料來註冊遊戲帳號，導致針對未成年人的管理難以徹底執行。未來中國政府將與執法部門合作，建立一個統一的識別系統，讓所有遊戲平台都能使用該系統，讓玩家通過驗證身分和年齡的關卡。
去年，世界衛生組織首度將「遊戲成癮」視為精神疾病的一種，中國近來也大力批評電玩遊戲會對青少年產生負面影響，去年建立遊戲監管機構後，對利潤豐厚的遊戲產業造成打擊。
據統計，中國是世界上第二大的遊戲市場，由於中國對遊戲產業的監管日益嚴格，讓美國今年的遊戲收入首次超過中國。
(自由時報)
A: Google has unveiled its 2025 Year in Search chart. No. 10 to No. 6 are: Typhoon Podul, Chinese drama “Love’s Ambition,” tariffs, US President Donald Trump and singer Khalil Fong’s death. B: Wow, actress Rosy Zhao’s new drama is so popular. So what are the top five? A: No. 5 to No. 1 are: Gemini, hanzii.net, NT$10,000 cash handout, entertainer Big S’ death and earthquakes. B: Hasn’t Trump topped this year’s most-searched people chart? A: Yup, and he’s closely followed by cheerleader GuoGuo Chiang at No. 2, whose husband Zack Fanchiang is also at No. 8. Apparently, people are curious about her extramarital
A: Compared to Taiwanese, what did Americans search for most in 2025? B: No. 10 to No. 6 are: Tariffs, FIFA Club World Cup, government shutdown, DeepSeek and incoming New York mayor Zohran Mamdani. A: Mamdani is set to take office on Jan. 1. And what are the top five? B: No. 5 to No. 1 are: the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, iPhone 17, Labubu doll, animated blockbuster KPop Demon Hunters and political activist Charlie Kirk’s assasination. A: The only term to appear on both the Taiwanese and US charts is tariffs. A: 跟台灣人相比，美國人都在搜尋什麼？ B: 第10到6名是：關稅、FIFA俱樂部世界盃、政府關閉、DeepSeek語言模型、候任紐約市長佐蘭曼達尼。 A: 曼達尼元旦即將就任，前5名是什麼？ B: 第5到1名是：《大而美法案》、iPhone 17、拉布布玩偶、動畫片《KPop獵魔女團》、政治活動家查理柯克遇刺。 A: 看來台、美熱搜榜唯一的共同議題就是－－關稅！ （By Eddy Chang, Taipei
The world is teeming with danger and unpredictability. To safeguard themselves from harm and invite good fortune, people across cultures carry or display symbolic charms and trinkets. It is common to see beckoning cat figurines in stores in Japan, while people in China have historically kept crickets in cages for good luck. Even flora can serve as emblems of luck, with the four-leaf clover standing out as perhaps the most iconic. A clover is a small plant that typically grows 10 to 30 cms in height. While there are many species of clover, the variety that people consider to
Continued from yesterday（延續自昨日） https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/lang Many people attribute the four-leaf clover’s reputation for luck not merely to its rarity but also to the myths and legends that surround it. Here are two such tales that help shed light on how the four-leaf clover came to be seen as a lucky charm. The first story originates from the Biblical narrative of Adam and Eve. According to Christian tradition, Adam and Eve, the first humans created by God, resided in the idyllic Garden of Eden. After they were expelled for defying God’s command, Eve is said to have plucked a four-leaf clover as a
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