China launches exclusive internet cafe for teens

BEIJING - China has launched a first-of-its-kind internet cafe exclusively for teenagers with internet filtering software.

The cafe in Beijing promises a maximum online time of two hours so that teenagers’ productive time is not wasted, the People’s Daily reported.

The internet cafe claims to be a “learning fairyland” and has set up computers in pairs so that “young people can exchange learning experiences face-to-face”.

The cafe, however, has sparked off a public debate with many netizens saying it would provide opportunities to youth to try out new things.

Though some said they are thinking about sending their children to such a place, others are worried that teenagers with poor judgement will log on to improper sites if no controls are exercised.

The internet bar for kids is “well-intentioned” but strong supervision is needed, Chen Zhanjiang, a sociology professor at Xiangtan University in Hunan Province, was quoted as saying.