Report seeks better protection of minors online

A national identity card system for minors should be established to ensure they are not viewing any inappropriate content online, said a report.

The report, which offers dozens of suggestions on legislations and policies to protect young internet users, was published by Beijing Children's Legal Aid and Research Center on Aug 20.

"If there is no accurate way to confirm age then restrictions in the cyber world will not work," said Tong Lihua, director of the research center.

For instance, even though online games makers have set time limit for teenagers, without unique identity, young netizens can easily bypass that by moving to another platform or using another account name.

Tong said as leak of personal data could compromise the privacy of minors and national security, the government rather than internet firms should take the lead to build the national platform.

More than 93.7 percent of minors in China logged on to the internet by July 31 in 2018, compared with 57.7 percent of the whole population in the same period, according to a report jointly published by juvenile right department of Chinese Communist Youth League and China Internet Network Information Center.

The report issued by Tong's research center said internet addiction among adolescents should needs urgent attention.

Based on a survey by China Youth Association for Network Development, over 14 percent of children, or 33 million, both in urban and rural areas are addicted to the internet.

"It has now become common to see parents leaving children with a phone or an iPad to keep them occupied, leading to online addiction at a very young age," Tong said. "Parents should be aware that their company is indispensable for children."

Apart from families taking their responsibilities responsibly, government, internet companies and social organizations should also take their respective responsibilities to better protect rights of minors online.

However, the report underlines that internet protection does not mean isolating them from websites, but guiding them to use the internet properly.

As the generation born online, the internet has become a significant tool for minors to develop themselves and prepare for the future, and their fundamental rights shouldn't be undermined, the report added.