China considers ways to curb youths’ ‘excessive’ video use

A woman talks to a child playing with his smartphone at a cafe in Beijing. The National Radio and Television Administration called for the short video sector’s ‘healthy development’ and improvements in content quality, without elaborating or naming companies. The key was to prevent minors from spending too much time on them, it said in a brief statement. — AP

Chinese media regulators are studying measures to curb addiction among youths to short videos, the format popularised by tech giants from ByteDance Ltd to Tencent Holdings Ltd.

The National Radio and Television Administration held a meeting Feb 22 to consider ways to tighten oversight of the short video industry. The powerful agency called for the sector’s “healthy development” and improvements in content quality, without elaborating or naming companies. The key was to prevent minors from spending too much time on them, it said in a brief statement.