Chinese children will be allowed to use smartphones for a maximum of 2 hours a day.

The new draft regulations from the CAC are part of a broader effort by Chinese authorities to curb and prevent smartphone and app addiction among people under 18.

Accordingly, children under 8 years old can only access a maximum of 40 minutes per day on smartphones. Children over 8 years old but under 16 years old can use the phone for no more than 1 hour per day. Those between 16 and 17 years old can use the phone for a maximum of 2 hours.

The draft also stipulates that mobile phones must not provide any services to children from 10pm the previous night to 6am the following morning.

Since 2021, the Beijing government has also launched campaigns to reduce the burden on minors and their families, combating the so-called “social disease”. Accordingly, Beijing has successfully restricted online video games for minors, with players under 18 only allowed to play online games for 3 hours a week. These measures help parents no longer have a “burden” of finances, while encouraging children to be more physically active.

If these regulations are enacted, they could have an impact on companies like Tencent and ByteDance, which provide China's most popular internet services, attracting large numbers of young users.

For app stores, users under 12 will not be allowed to download any apps without parental guidance, while those between 12 and 16 will only be allowed to download apps in “teen mode,” or apps specifically designed for minors.

Zhang Yi, CEO of iiMedia Research Company (China), said that this policy will bring new business opportunities and challenges to smartphone brands such as Apple, Xiaomi and Huawei Technologies.

The Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) did not name any services, except to require platforms to ensure they meet its regulations, which include promoting lullabies for children under 3 and educational news and entertainment content for children under 12.

CAC warns online companies not to offer services that are addictive or harmful to children's physical and mental health.

It is unclear how Chinese authorities will enforce the rule, though internet services and mobile carriers in China often require real-name registration. Some Chinese apps already restrict access to minors.

In the draft, the CAC said that over the years, in order to protect children, the agency has continuously promoted the construction of an Internet model for young people, expanding access, improving functions and enriching age-appropriate content.

China's new regulations have yet to be adopted and are open for public consultation until September 2.