(ECNS) - China’s Internet giant Tencent has started experimenting with "parental approval" in three cities amid efforts to prevent little players from becoming addicted to online games.
Tencent started the test among new players in two games -- Honor of Kings and Thrilling Battlefield - in Beijing, Chengdu and Changchun, before expanding the test to 12 cities.
The test allows an under-13 child to play a new game only after a parental control setup is completed by parents or a guardian.
Tencent said the measure can ensure that parents fully know their children's gaming behavior and allows them to intervene when necessary.
In addition to the parental approval, Tencent also implements other existing measures to avoid addiction to playing games. For example, a child under 12 can play a game only one hour a day and is banned from playing from 9 pm to 8 am.
Tencent said it has also provided one-to-one phone service to nearly 1,000 families that reported particular difficulties in finding a solution to their children’s game-playing habits.
