Chinese Government Crackdown on Virtual Currency, Internet Cafes
Chinese Government Crackdown on Virtual Currency, Internet Cafes
March 8, 2007
According to the Financial Times, the Chinese government has restricted the use of virtual currency from online games amidst fears that such funds could threaten the global economy.FT notes that Chinese officials are especially concerned about QQ Coins, a form of virtual payment issued by Tencent, an online messaging and games service based in Hong Kong. According to the report:
Tencent's messaging system is used by an estimated two-thirds of Chinese internet users and its QQ Coins have been accepted as payment by other companies as well as sold for legal tender.
New Chinese regulations prohibit using virtual currency for profit and mandate that such funds be used only to buy virtual goods. The government concern is partly based on worries that virtual currency is being used to skirt China strict anti-gambling laws.
In other news, Reuters reports that the Chinese government has placed a moratorium on the opening of new Internet cafes for the remainder of 2007. In its report, Reuters quotes National People's Congress official Yu Wen:
It is common to see students from primary and middle schools lingering in Internet bars overnight, puffing on cigarettes and engrossed in online games.
Minors are barred by law from China's Internet cafes over concerns about youth crime and online addiction. A 2006 report issued by the China National Children's Centre claims that 13% of Chinese juveniles who use the Internet are addicted.
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Posted 07/04/09 at 09:24pm
PHX Corp: For those that want to know what i watching it's called man vs cartoon(a.k.a fixing Wile E. coyote's Mistakes one trap at a time by EMERTEC)
PHX Corp: For those that want to know what i watching it's called man vs cartoon(a.k.a fixing Wile E. coyote's Mistakes one trap at a time by EMERTEC)
Posted 07/04/09 at 08:20pm
GoodRobotUs: Went out for my Mum's 65th Birthday, which is the only relevance 4/7 has in the UK for me ;)
GoodRobotUs: Went out for my Mum's 65th Birthday, which is the only relevance 4/7 has in the UK for me ;)
Posted 07/04/09 at 08:18pm
Andrew Eisen: Beach + fireworks + root beer + strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, whipped topping, and pound cake = my Fourth of July!
Andrew Eisen: Beach + fireworks + root beer + strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, whipped topping, and pound cake = my Fourth of July!
Posted 07/04/09 at 07:58pm
GoodRobotUs: Which seems to be the only point Jack proved, that some people find some games offensive. i.e. Nothing.
GoodRobotUs: Which seems to be the only point Jack proved, that some people find some games offensive. i.e. Nothing.
Posted 07/04/09 at 07:57pm
GoodRobotUs: The discussion was supposed to be whether games were dangerous not 'Do you find some games offensive'...
GoodRobotUs: The discussion was supposed to be whether games were dangerous not 'Do you find some games offensive'...
Posted 07/04/09 at 07:55pm
GoodRobotUs: Some agreed, some didn't, but it was their choice to make, not the governments.
GoodRobotUs: Some agreed, some didn't, but it was their choice to make, not the governments.
Posted 07/04/09 at 07:55pm
GoodRobotUs: By asking the audience their opinion, he more or less proved that it's a matter of personal choice
GoodRobotUs: By asking the audience their opinion, he more or less proved that it's a matter of personal choice
Posted 07/04/09 at 07:55pm
GoodRobotUs: Meh, he ended proving Mark's point for him
GoodRobotUs: Meh, he ended proving Mark's point for him
Posted 07/04/09 at 07:26pm
Erik: Jack if you are reading this you are a LIAR. There is no legal weight to the MPAA's ratings.
Erik: Jack if you are reading this you are a LIAR. There is no legal weight to the MPAA's ratings.
Posted 07/04/09 at 07:24pm
JDKJ: I still think my buddy the midget who rides a unicycle backwards while juggling four bowling pins would have been a much bigger hit with that crowd. And he can make up statistics and misinterpret studies, too.
JDKJ: I still think my buddy the midget who rides a unicycle backwards while juggling four bowling pins would have been a much bigger hit with that crowd. And he can make up statistics and misinterpret studies, too.
Posted 07/04/09 at 06:33pm
Alyric: Of course, Mark falls into the common trap about Columbine, which had nothing to do with bullying, etc. See: http://slate.msn.com/id/2099203/?GT1=3256 for a more thorough explanation.
Alyric: Of course, Mark falls into the common trap about Columbine, which had nothing to do with bullying, etc. See: http://slate.msn.com/id/2099203/?GT1=3256 for a more thorough explanation.
Posted 07/04/09 at 06:32pm
PHX Corp: Read this http://www.destructoid.com/sgc-09-liveblogging-the-jack-thompson-debate-138502.phtml#ext
PHX Corp: Read this http://www.destructoid.com/sgc-09-liveblogging-the-jack-thompson-debate-138502.phtml#ext
Posted 07/04/09 at 05:54pm
PHX Corp: JT is afraid of such ban then advocates it That's what i call a total Hypocrite
PHX Corp: JT is afraid of such ban then advocates it That's what i call a total Hypocrite
Posted 07/04/09 at 05:50pm
PHX Corp: AE: JT is a -Bleeping- Jackass
PHX Corp: AE: JT is a -Bleeping- Jackass
Posted 07/04/09 at 05:07pm
Andrew Eisen: JT "knew it would be a good audience." Not what he said on Tuesday.
Andrew Eisen: JT "knew it would be a good audience." Not what he said on Tuesday.
Posted 07/04/09 at 05:01pm
Andrew Eisen: VG cause violent behavior. VG companies influence behavior to get sales. Yeah, that makes sense. (To be fair, the Twitter feed makes deciphering JT's point pretty tough.)
Andrew Eisen: VG cause violent behavior. VG companies influence behavior to get sales. Yeah, that makes sense. (To be fair, the Twitter feed makes deciphering JT's point pretty tough.)
Posted 07/04/09 at 04:52pm
Andrew Eisen: Yes, it's been proposed but as far as I know it has not been passed. Big difference.
Andrew Eisen: Yes, it's been proposed but as far as I know it has not been passed. Big difference.
Posted 07/04/09 at 04:50pm
Cheater87: http://www.gamezine.co.uk/news/formats/xbox360/all-violent-video-games-be-banned-in-germany-$1301757.htm
Cheater87: http://www.gamezine.co.uk/news/formats/xbox360/all-violent-video-games-be-banned-in-germany-$1301757.htm
Posted 07/04/09 at 04:49pm
Andrew Eisen: Far as I know, Germany has not banned all violent video games.
Andrew Eisen: Far as I know, Germany has not banned all violent video games.
Posted 07/04/09 at 04:44pm
Cheater87: Jack wants the US to follow Germany's total video game ban.
Cheater87: Jack wants the US to follow Germany's total video game ban.
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Game Politics and Game Politics logo are trademarks of the ECA.
Comments
As for the currency worries, there's a valid case to be made. To keep up wtih its current growth, China can't afford more than a little inflation, because if the yuan's value falls too fast, China can't buy all the foreign resources (oil, food, etc.) it needs. And from the scale of virtual currency use the FT is describing (2/3 of the ccountry's internet users using a single virtual currency!), it's a genuine worry.
To be honest after living here for a while, I find that China's system is communist in name only; their society is very largely Capitalistic by nature, but the thing is they can't afford to call themselves Captialist because the citizens aren't ready for things like voting and stuff yet.
'm surprised they haven't banned china in china yet
China's leader was on it...
Regardless of whether or not you personally believe that statistic doesn't make it any more true. It SOUNDS valid that someone reharsing violent acts on a video game may be more inclined to violence. Does that make it true?
Thus, unless the report has been subjected to independent (re:Non-government) review, or I can view the specifics of the study (what type of study it was, what the sample was, how they defined "addicted" etc.), I call BS. Since the Chinese government would have the most to gain if that statistic was true, I am NOT going to take their word for it.
Still, this is a fruitless attempt because without in-game currency, transferrable items will become the in-game currency. Rare items are already the big-ticket thing. I think China is trying to legislate common sense into people. Good luck!
"13% of Chinese juveniles who use the Internet are addicted."
Maybe it's because they restrict their access to it?
Some portions of this article sounds interesting. May be you have some links where I could read more about this topic?...
One thing that a lot of people have missed in this recent economic down turn is the fact that in-game money for all of the massive mutliplayer online role playing games has not been effected. I guess it just shows how strong and stable the computer game industry really is. --------- george Virtual Currency