Rural children, especially teenagers, usually find it challenging to resist the allure of smartphones, especially if they live without their parents. One rural teen spent millions of yuan that had been deposited in his late father’s account for village land compensation, only a fraction of which has been returned by the mobile gaming company. The boy must pay the rest back when he is of age. It is imperative that coordinated efforts involving families, schools, legal departments and administrative bodies are urgently implemented to mitigate the pervasive influence of smartphones in the lives of rural children. Software rolled out in 2019 to moderate phone use by minors is expected to expand to more software and hardware programs, the Cyberspace Administration of China announced on June 29. This initiative aims to address the unique challenges faced by rural youth in navigating the digital landscape responsibly.
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