Japanese City Passes Two-Hours-a-Day Smartphone Usage Ordinance (theregister.com) 29
The Japanese city of Toyoake has passed (PDF) a symbolic ordinance limiting recreational smartphone use to two hours a day, aiming to improve citizens' sleep -- especially for students after summer vacation. The Register reports: "The primary purpose of this ordinance is to ensure that all citizens receive adequate sleep," states a Council information page, which explains that many Japanese people ignore Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare recommendations to spend six to eight hours a day dozing. An accompanying FAQ [PDF] explains that Council passed the ordinance because students who return to school after summer vacations sometimes need a nudge the re-establish an appropriate daily regime.
The ordinance also points out "Excessive phone users and their families are facing difficulties in their daily and social lives," and suggests the two-hours-a-day guidance might help. Council's documents point out that smartphones have myriad uses beyond recreation, and that the ordinance should not be taken as a suggestion to reduce overall use of the devices. Toyoake is part of the Nagoya megalopolis and is home to around 70,000 people. The town's government plans to survey residents about the ordinance, and the FAQ also mentions it wants to tackle other digital menaces, among them harmful effects of using smartphones while walking.
The ordinance also points out "Excessive phone users and their families are facing difficulties in their daily and social lives," and suggests the two-hours-a-day guidance might help. Council's documents point out that smartphones have myriad uses beyond recreation, and that the ordinance should not be taken as a suggestion to reduce overall use of the devices. Toyoake is part of the Nagoya megalopolis and is home to around 70,000 people. The town's government plans to survey residents about the ordinance, and the FAQ also mentions it wants to tackle other digital menaces, among them harmful effects of using smartphones while walking.
LOLOL, just ban all social media... (Score:2)
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It's just advice, it's not a law and there is no enforcement. It's just the local government saying "we think you should limit smartphone use to 2 hours a day, for your own health".
Maybe useful as a bit of backup to parents who want to limit their children's use, or to prod the terminally online into getting help, but there are no legal ramifications at all.
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Perhaps that's why it's called a symbolic ordinance, per TFS?
If it were an actual ordinance, and ordinance means the same thing in Japan as it does in other countries, then the city would have legal power to enforce it.
Still, I was confused when I saw it was an "ordinance" instead of some advisory declaration of some kind. Maybe that's the same as a symbolic ordinance? (*shrug*)
Or maybe it's municipal politicians over-reaching.
Addiction 101. (Score:2)
See how far that works !
One doesn’t need to rid the world of heroin to prove someone is a junkie.
Social media is a drug that creates addiction like anything else. We deal with that problem the same way we always have. By waiting until the addict will admit they have a problem and want the help. Otherwise they’ll simply replace social media with some other addiction.
This ain’t rocket science. Society is only confused as to how easily we allowed children junkies to manifest, but make NO mistake as to WHAT the p
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its a symbolic ordinance, its not a law or regulation that's intended to be enforced. its just saying hey, this is a good idea and a reminder from your city leaders about some things you might want to think about.
Concerts (Score:1)
Re:Concerts (Score:4, Insightful)
I attended a school orchestra concert where one of my children was performing, and I was shocked to see 90% of the audience holding their phones over their heads filming the event. The Whole Time.
There should be a no recording policy, and the event filmed with a real camera up front and then published on the school web site.
I haven't been to a concert since before camera phones. I guess this is what people do nowadays. (Get off my lawn.)
Re: Concerts (Score:2)
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What you propose makes sense until you realize that all of those videos are all different. Every
Don't own a smartphone (Score:2, Offtopic)
Meh. After all this time, I still don't own a smartphone. Don't want one. Don't need one.
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No, that would be me.
Man who doesn't own a TV (Score:1)
You and The Onion jest, but there are people who could easily afford a TV and who use other technology but don't own a TV for religious or philosophical reasons.
In the pre-internet days I knew a family who didn't want their children exposed to TV so they didn't have one.
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slaveware (Score:1)
The technology has been creative to be as addicting, intrusive and abusive as possible. The affects are turning up in our medical journals, politicals and the destruction of our social fabric. they should had been recognized as a public safety threat a long time ago and regulated.
How will they enforce that? (Score:2)
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its not meant to be enforced, its a symbolic ordinance meant to communicate. read the article and don't overreact
Define "use" (Score:3)
Likewise, I know a woman who loves to take pictures with her phone. You'd think she has a $2k DSLR, everywhere we go she's framing shots. Does that count?
Cause and Effect? (Score:2)
Not an expert on smartphone use but are people using smartphones because they cannot sleep? Are people getting more sleep just less likely to use things like smartphones that keep them up at night? Are we comparing two different types of people, or have we actually determined that taking away the smartphone leads to more sleep, rather than the person with that tendency finding something else to keep them up at night?
Will this help them make babies? (Score:2)
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Countries have faced far worse demographic-related crises from wars, famines, diseases, or other disasters over the past several centuries, yet they're still around to get through this problem.
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Recreational vs. not (Score:2)
Uh, I'm not watching YouTube for recreation. It's therapeutic. Problem solved!
Symbolic (Score:2)
No funny? (Score:2)
Clickbait headline deserves none, I suppose.
Less Smartphone, More Tablet (Score:2)
I actively use my Pixel phone less than 2-3 hours per day... my iPad, however...
have you seen the new phones? (Score:2)
Smaller batteries mean bigger screens.
The bad news is, they're all burn phones