China's new laws that limit children's screen time to prevent them from developing gaming addictions would not be effective in Ireland, experts claim.The restrictions, which apply to any devices including phones, limit under-18s' access to online games to between 8pm to 9pm on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. They can also go online for an hour a day on public holidays.A spokesperson for the Chinese government said: "Teenagers are the future of our motherland.
"But for the Government to limit the amount of time per week at young people can spend gaming is not the best way to approach it."Young people who spend 8-10 hours a day gaming certainly have problems and those problems won't be addressed by shutting off their access to gaming websites at a certain time.
Prof Kelly said the best way for parents to reduce a child's screen time is to reduce the amount of time that they themselves spend on devices. "Some of the games might be unsuitable but some might have a social aspect and can be quite good. Don't demonise gaming. "It's important to look at their behaviour more broadly. The gaming could be a symptom rather than the problem."
"I don't think that would ever work in Ireland because Irish people wouldn't accept being told by the government how much time a child can spend online. It's a parental responsibility.