BEIJING (AP) – Chinese regulators on Wednesday summoned video game companies, including Tencent and NetEase Inc., to ask them to protect the physical and mental health of children, according to state media reports.
Regulators, including the National Press and Publications Administration, and the Central Cyberspace Affairs Commission, instructed companies to strictly comply with the new restrictions on playing time for minors and ban content. ” harmful “such as violence or the representation of” effeminate “men, Xinhua news agency reported.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for a “national renewal,” with tighter control of the Communist Party over business, education, culture and religion.
In recent weeks, the party has restricted children’s access to online games to three hours a week and is trying to discourage what it sees as harmful attention to celebrities.
Social media platforms like Weibo, which is similar to Twitter, have banned celebrity real-time popularity rankings and suspended fan club accounts that have been dedicated to “irrationally” chasing celebrities.
Regulators also warned companies not to engage in unfair competition and avoid monopolistic conduct.
NetEase stock prices fell 5% Wednesday morning in New York.
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