Chinese Rehab Camps for Internet Junkies

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The headline is 100% true. I kid you not. It’s become apparent to the Chinese government that enough is too much when it comes to the Internet. Reuters put up a story on Tuesday that explains “China is launching an experimental summer camp for 40 youngsters to try to wean them off their Internet addiction, state media said on Tuesday.” I don’t know about you, but while I have mixed opinions on the subject; I’d like to point out that 40 is an incredibly, ridiculously low number. If you’re the most populous country in the world, and have more World of Warcraft gold farmers than actual players, you could afford to crank up the heat! Anyways, I suppose this was a long time in coming; what with reports about a certain MMO being notorious for the percentage of addiction it carries (enough to make an “Alcoholics Anonymous”-esque site for those in rehab) or a Shanghai man dying by electrocution via his computer.

More about the camp: Applications to the camp will be accepted from those aged 14 to 22, once they have undergone a rigorous psychological test to determine their eligibility. The camp will be focusing on treating some of the symptoms of the Web: depression, fear, social reclusion, panic, self-esteem issues, and agitation. Coupled with the new camp, which seems to be acting as a test run, the Chinese government has also banned new Internet cafe’s from popping up and placed restrictions on some games offered in China. It’s gotten so bad, Shanghai’s education commissionOf course, at PaulTech, we never run out of statistics and specifications. Ever. So, here’s some sobering statistics about the Chinese:

• 1) China has 20 million Internet users under the age of 18. Of that 20 million, 13% or 2.6 million, are classified as “addicts”. No idea what standard the Chinese use to classify an “addict”, but nonetheless, it’s a bunch…
• 2) There are also around 113,000 Internet cafes and bars in mainland China.

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It definitely sounds like a problem. While I don’t believe the United States has levels as high as that, I wouldn’t be surprised if I ever came across a similar camp with a similar idea stateside. Here’s to hoping it never gets bad enough that your Secretary of Education forms volunteer youth brigades to patrol the streets to try and stop youth from entering Internet cafes…

Picture courtesy of: the State Department;

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