Lawmaker raises concerns over digital addiction among children

Lawmaker Chan Lai Kei has urged the government to strengthen support measures for parents and improve early intervention mechanisms to address growing concerns over digital addiction among children and young people in the city.

In a recent written interpellation submitted to the Legislative Assembly (AL), Chan said excessive use of electronic devices among young people has become a growing social concern, while acknowledging the government’s efforts to regulate smartphone use in schools through the “Guidelines for Managing the Use of Mobile Phones in Schools” introduced by the Education and Youth Development Bureau (DSEDJ).

The guidelines represent “the first line of defense in schools,” Chan said, adding that the government has also emphasized the importance of family education and parent-child communication in preventing digital addiction.

However, Chan pointed out that the summer vacation could create a gap in existing prevention efforts, as students spend more time away from school supervision. He noted that many families face difficulties in providing consistent parental supervision due to work commitments, particularly households where both parents are employed or where workers are engaged in shift-based industries such as gaming and tourism.

“For these families, the authorities’ call for ‘high-quality companionship’ is often difficult to achieve due to real-life circumstances,” Chan said.

He expressed particular concern over reports from local social service organizations that cases of internet addiction are appearing among increasingly younger children, with some children aged between six and eight seeking assistance.

Chan said many lower-income parents working shifts lack digital knowledge and may struggle with tasks such as configuring routers or installing parental control software. As a result, some families rely on direct confrontation, leading to conflicts between parents and children.

“Due to a lack of resources, they can only engage in a ‘battle over mobile phones’ with their children, and even experience extreme conflicts, including broken phones and damaged relationships,” Chan said.

The lawmaker said that mainland China has moved toward a more systematic approach to preventing internet addiction among minors, including the implementation of the Regulation on the Protection of Minors in Cyberspace and the promotion of youth protection features through both software and hardware systems.

Chan argued that while the Macau government encourages parents to take responsibility, it should also provide practical tools and strengthen the city’s internet protection network for minors.

He then asked whether the government would consider establishing “parental technology support stations” in different districts to help families set up child protection features, filter harmful online content and better manage children’s screen time.

Chan also questioned whether authorities would introduce an early screening mechanism for “screen addiction” at the primary school level, noting that current prevention efforts mainly focus on secondary education.

He said early identification of children experiencing emotional anxiety or social difficulties caused by excessive device use could allow for timely psychological support and corrective intervention.

In addition, Chan called on the government to study the gradual introduction of guidelines suited to Macau’s circumstances, referencing mainland China’s approach to strengthening online protection systems for minors.

Concluding his statement, Chan said such measures could help reduce the pressure placed on parents while creating a broader social framework to address digital addiction among children and young people.