The Chinese government is taking internet addiction amongst its youth very seriously. The government is using military-style traning on the unwilling adolescents (14-22) who have been not only dropped off by their parents, but accompanied by them. The parents must remain to be trained as well because their child's addiction is thought of as a result of bad parenting. The training is extremely expensive as well, estimated worth between 3 and 11 months of couple's salaries. One parent interviewed was more than willing to endure the burden, saying her son had bitten and struck her because he wasn't allowed access to the internet earlier that day.The camps have come under scrutiny for excessively harsh treatment however. Recently a 15 year old was beat to death at an internet addiction clinic located within an army controlled base. The children are restricted from any internet, phone or television usage, of course, and cases of abuse are numerous. They receive medications as well as mild shock treatments, which receives negative feedback from some who say internet addiction should not receive the same treatment as drug or alcohol treatments.
Recently, 14 youth escaped their camp after tying up the supervisor to his bed and jumping into a cab. They were apprehended after trying to ditch the cab without payment and 13 of the escapees have already been returned.
The Chinese government is not only being criticized for the brutality of the camps, but now their intentions behind their crusade against internet addiction is being questioned. Many have now begun saying that the government's true inspiration is to censor what "netizens" can view on the internet.
This is insane. I agree the internet is addicting but at the same time our world is so dependent on it and it should be required of the parents to disciple and monitor their childs internet use- not providing shock therapy to "cure" the dependance- they are growing up in a world dependent on the internet- that wont change.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I believe that electroshock therapy and any other form of abuse is not necessary to teach children anything, I do believe that the Internet is very addicting and many children and adults would be better off with less Internet usage. With all of the technology at our fingertips, we use it in society to play games or update Facebook. I'm sure that there are better uses for the Internet.
ReplyDeleteAt first I thought this article was funny but its easy to do that when it doesn't affect you and is not necessarily the right response. On one hand I think it is a good thing button the other you can't ignore from what I read they are taking it way to far. I would like to see a program addressing internet addiction for youth in the United States as well. I think it goes without saying, the US version would not have the abuse or brutality but I would like to see youth presented with constructive alternatives and if nothing else just a summer break where they would be forced to be unplugged.
ReplyDeleteI agree that the Chinese have taken this to the extreme. While the concept is a good one (because the youth of all countries are probably plugged in way too much), good training and implementation of limits should start at home. At the end of the day, it is the parents who need to be monitoring Internet use. If that happened more consistently, beginning at a very young age, camps such as these might not be necesary.
ReplyDeleteThis is crazy I can not understand the thought of beating a kid to death to teach them a lesson. I agreed with the thought that something needs to be done, but this clearly isn't the right answer.
ReplyDeleteThe root of this problem is the self-control of the children and the lack of discipline from the parents. Internet is not a drug, it could only be misuse by choice of the user. The fact that there is such addiction just means the user's lack of sense. The Boot camp is not a bad idea, but the beating and shock "therapy" (torture) make me think this is more like a mental asylum.
ReplyDeleteThe drastic measures taken by the Chinese in these camps are way too extreme. The children should not be harmed to get rid of their addiction but taught ways to develop better habits to stop their addiction. When someone goes to rehab for drugs or alcohol they look into their past and find why or how the addiction started. These people are then taught ways to cope when they have the urge and how to direct that energy another positive way. Especially since they are young teens/adults it will be even easier to help them develop new habits and form a better lifestyle.
ReplyDeleteO-M-G!!!! that is crazy! has it gotten so bad in China that the parents actually take their children to that?? I mean, it's a little extreme. I would agree if they take them to a normal "camp" they do wilderness stuff and are not allowed to use any electronics, that sounds good, but they take it to the NEXT LEVEL!! hopefully they will do something about this camp. I bet is a nightmare now, parents will start threatening their children to send them to that camp, and it would scare the heck out of them lol
ReplyDelete-Priscilla
I agree with most everyone on here in saying that this is way out of control. If someone were to try this here, they would be thrown in jail for child abuse and the same should be done to those who are putting these kids through this kind of punishment. Of course young teenagers are going to get angry and a little out of control if they don't get something they want but that doesn't mean they should be put in a boot camp for it. This is the wrong way to deal with internet addiction and I would say that everyone is addicted to the internet or just about everyone is. Everybody in todays world has a facebook or twitter and they're updating it every few hours, if that isn't addiction then I don't know what is.
ReplyDeleteHow can this be legal? This sounds more like torture than therapy, and parents are allowing it? I can't believe that parents would allow for their children to be abused like this and pay a large sum of money for it at that! What children need is discipline not abuse. If the parents had control over their children from the start this would never have to occur. The parents are the ones who seem to need help, as to prevent this issue all together.
ReplyDeleteI have to agree. The parents are ultimately to blame for letting their children get to the point of addiction. The parents need to challenge their children in other ways than sending them to this camp. Why are these kids not studying for school?
DeleteThose types are things are wayyyyyyyyy to harsh for internet addition. I think it has more to do with (like the blog stated) monitoring what people are seeing on the internet. Could be things about their government that they do not want their citizens to see.
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