this post was submitted on 04 May 2025

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175

China turns on ‘minors mode’ to keep kids safe online (www.theregister.com)

submitted 2 days ago by Alphane_Moon@lemmy.world to c/technology@lemmy.world

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[–] DarkCloud@lemmy.world 73 points 2 days ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (2 children)

They probably saw the Russian culture war brain rot play out with American youth and decided to have a circuit breaker.

Behind the Bastards has an episode about how YouTube went right wing to create site engagement and an anger economy, and an episode about Facebook doing thr same for boomers.

Some governments are looking into limiting those influences.

EDIT: oh yeah, China might also be protecting children from hearing about the periodic stabbing attacks that happen at schools over there. Forgot about those.

[–] andxz@lemmy.world 9 points 2 days ago

It's not only the US that got hit by that russian campaign to mess with youths and even younger children. Europe for its fair share as well. It also plays into their "oh look at the degenerate west" playbook perfectly.

They're responsible for so much damage that I have no idea how it'll end. Not even children with tech savvy parents are immune, as I can attest to myself.

It's important as fuck to have discussions about bad content to children ass soon as they get any kind of screen available to them, and it should never ever be a babysitter unless it's under controlled circumstances.

It's also a good idea to start teaching your children how any tech they use works and what happens under the hood if they're interested. They're certainly less likely to get influenced by any bad actors if they know what's what.

[–] WanderingVentra@lemm.ee 8 points 1 day ago

The rest of the world needs to learn from the US's failure like this ASAP. I think Europe might already be doomed judging by the way the UK and Germany are going, but others might be able to swerve to avoid a fascist future with the right moves.

[–] klu9@lemmy.ca 51 points 1 day ago

But don't worry, folks in the free world, this won't apply to you! Douyin (Tiktok in China) may restrict what kids see, but Tiktok abroad will still serve up to your tween daughter videos that tell her if she isn't pretty enough, she might as well kill herself.

[–] underline960@sh.itjust.works 10 points 1 day ago (1 children)

I see a lot of well-meaning support for this. I can't help but think there has to be a way to implement these kinds of controls without taking power away from the user.

Like the Fediverse implementing better mod tools rather than expecting Twitter to effectively moderate the internet.

[–] DeathsEmbrace@lemm.ee 1 points 1 day ago

Yeah but CCP wouldn't like this because it faces uncomfortable truths like a controlling dictatorship is the only reason for the firewall.

[–] fluffykittycat@slrpnk.net 10 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Fuck this

[–] Psythik@lemm.ee 0 points 1 day ago (2 children)

Yeah seriously, China making a smart decision for once? What the fuck? Broken clocks, I suppose.

This needs to be a worldwide thing. We're raising a generation of idiots because of engagement algorithms. Something needs to be done about it, or we're going to be in serious trouble once Gen Alpha gets old enough to vote.

[–] bathing_in_bismuth@sh.itjust.works 1 points 1 day ago

You don't want kids to research, let's say controversial, content of CCP wrongs and critism of policies ofc. Totally a smart move

[–] fluffykittycat@slrpnk.net 0 points 1 day ago (1 children)

This isn't for the kid's benefit you know

[–] Psythik@lemm.ee -1 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Yeah but it's a great idea if executed correctly by a developed country. (i.e. not China)

[–] fluffykittycat@slrpnk.net 1 points 1 day ago (1 children)

The point is censorship of viewpoints

[–] Psythik@lemm.ee 0 points 1 day ago (1 children)

And my point is that certain viewpoints are already being censored on the major platforms.

Say something anti-MAGA on YouTube the next time you get a chance, then load the page in an incognito window. You'll notice that your comment is nowhere to be found. Check your comment history, and you'll see a "some activity might not be visible yet" message at the top. Yet anything praising Trump gets to stay.

Google/Meta/etc.are dangerous entities that are poisoning kids' minds with conservative propaganda, and no one seems to notice or care. Something needs to be done.

[–] fluffykittycat@slrpnk.net 0 points 1 day ago (1 children)

These laws are about censoring LGBT stuff, you think the MAGAs would do anything about MAGA propaganda?

[–] Psythik@lemm.ee -1 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (1 children)

I don't mean this as an insult, but do you have autism?

Again, I'm not talking about copying exactly what China is doing; simply that it would be a good idea if implemented properly.

[–] fluffykittycat@slrpnk.net 3 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Yes, and I don't support censorship even if it's aimed at kids (they always start with the kids first)

[–] Psythik@lemm.ee -2 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

And again, the major platforms already are engaging in censorship. I'm merely suggesting that we do something about it.

I hope you realize that talking to you is fatiguing. For your sake I hope you're not this annoying to have a conversation with in person.

[+] jimbel@lemm.ee -18 points 2 days ago (2 children)

I completely agree Internet should be regulated especially for children. Should be done in Europe as well. But of course this regulation should not be misused for propaganda.

[–] melroy@kbin.melroy.org 33 points 2 days ago (3 children)

Look I will be clear to you. You can not have a free and open internet and governments unable to misuse their power to shutdown websites, information whenever they please. And at the same time regulate the internet "to protect the children". You can't have both at the same time.

[–] Ibuthyr@lemmy.wtf 5 points 2 days ago (3 children)

The internet is firmly in the grasp of mega corporations. There is no free internet anymore. This shit needs to be regulated.

[–] rockerface@lemm.ee 7 points 2 days ago (1 children)

I guess we don't exist, then

[–] Ibuthyr@lemmy.wtf 3 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

A tiny niche that's only accessible to people who know how the internet works. Ask your regular Joe if they've even ever heard of the Fediverse. Kids will flock to the easiest accessible and largest platforms. Not Lemmy. And even Lemmy would be toxic for kids.

[–] melroy@kbin.melroy.org 4 points 1 day ago (1 children)

I run my own service all hosted on my own infrastructure. And fully independent from other big corps. No cloud. No cloudflare etc.

More people should do that, but do not tell me to just give up and hand me over, and fully regulate the internet. Then we are doomed for sure.

[–] Ibuthyr@lemmy.wtf 0 points 1 day ago

Its not really something kids can do though. The overwhelming majority of parents neither. Hell, I consider myself somewhat tech savvy, but I'm just starting on that journey.

I have no idea what a good regulation might look like, but just letting techbros do whatever they want is not an option.

[–] Alphane_Moon@lemmy.world 2 points 2 days ago

This is really good point. The internet has been completely taken over by American oligarch gangs, on an outcome basis it's not too far from internet censorship China (just implemented via alternative means).

[–] jimbel@lemm.ee 0 points 1 day ago

Well this kind of regulation needs to be democratically. So there need to be independent institutions who regulate. The Same way like the law, police and politics is independent from each other.

If we keep the Internet "free" this means the Internet will be controlled by corporations like meta, Google and tiktok and thus by undemocratic billionaires. And also networks like these Russian fake news propaganda will control the narrative and so indirectly control our society.

I agree with you that regulating the Internet and thus the media need to be balanced against freedom. But if we do not regulate the internet than democracy is doomed.

[–] Psythik@lemm.ee -1 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

It's not the 90s; we don't have a free and open internet anymore.

The vast majority of the web is run by a handful of corporations. Something needs to be done, and I think that preventing children from getting access to websites owned by evil companies like Google/Alphabet, Elon Musk, and Meta/Facebook is a good start.

[–] shaggyb@lemmy.world 9 points 2 days ago (3 children)

Parents need to do their fucking jobs and keep their shithead kids out of my business.

[–] technocrit@lemmy.dbzer0.com 7 points 1 day ago

Not to mention parents staying the fuck out of other parent's business.

Don't bring state violence down on other people because you don't want to watch your own damn kids.

[–] melroy@kbin.melroy.org 1 points 1 day ago

There we go... This is the only correct answer here!

[–] jimbel@lemm.ee 0 points 1 day ago

Internet is controlled by corporates like meta, Google, tiktok right now. In other words the undemocratic billionaires control the power. And also networks like the Russian bot farms spread fake news and destabilize our society. Parents can not do much about it.

Democracy is doomed if the Internet is not regulated in a way.

[+] vegetvs@kbin.earth -25 points 2 days ago (3 children)

I can't take seriously articles about the Internet that don't even capitalize "Internet" correctly.

[–] libra00@lemmy.world 18 points 2 days ago

I've been on the internet since like 1992 and I've never once capitalized it, and I don't think I've ever seen it capitalized. shrug

[–] TheDarksteel94@sopuli.xyz 5 points 2 days ago (4 children)

Why would it be capitalized? There's only a few words in the English language, that are capitalized. And "internet" isn't one of them, as it's just a normal noun.

[–] HakFoo@lemmy.sdf.org 14 points 2 days ago

I suspect it could be seen as a proper noun.

If Acme and FooCorp create a bridge between their private network spaces, it's an internet (common noun) but not the Internet (proper noun, referring to the one with Goatse).

Let's find an English teacher. And yell at them for forcing us to read the same terrible novel in both 10th and 12th grades. Maybe after that, return to this subject.

[–] killeronthecorner@lemmy.world 9 points 2 days ago

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capitalization_of_Internet

The direction of travel is towards "internet" (lowercase), but pedants gonna pedant.

[–] Chozo@fedia.io 8 points 2 days ago (1 children)

You and I are posting on the Fediverse right now (capital F). If I create two of my own personal Lemmy instances that only federate with each other, they're not a part of the Fediverse. I've now created my own fediverse (lower-case F). The Fediverse is a fediverse, but not all fediverses are the Fediverse.

Same with internet and Internet. There is the main, collective Internet that we all know and use daily, but it's one of many internets.

[–] vegetvs@kbin.earth 0 points 2 days ago

Thank you.

[–] BeNotAfraid@lemmy.world 4 points 2 days ago

an internet is a descriptor of two or more interconnected networks. The Internet is a proper noun which should actually be capital ‘T’ he capital ‘I’ nternet. You have “an internet” like ‘a universe’ and ‘The Internet’ like ‘The Universe.’

[–] BeNotAfraid@lemmy.world 2 points 2 days ago

'The Internet.' You are almost correct, an internet is a descriptor of two or more interconnected networks. The Internet is a proper noun which should actually be capital 'T' he capital 'I' nternet. You have "an internet" like 'a universe' and 'The Internet' like 'The Universe.'