New York Times article about South Korean government's campaign against youth internet addiction, including the creation of 140 internet-addiction clinical centers, 100 hospital treatment centers and the Jump Up Internet Rescue camp with "constant surveillance."
Up to 30 percent of South Koreans under 18, or about 2.4 million people, are at risk of Internet addiction, said Ahn Dong-hyun, a child psychiatrist at Hanyang University in Seoul who just completed a three-year government-financed survey of the problem. . . up to a quarter million probably show signs of actual addiction, like an inability to stop themselves from using computers, rising levels of tolerance that drive them to seek ever longer sessions online, and withdrawal symptoms like anger and craving when prevented from logging on. . .
"It is most important to provide them experience of a lifestyle without the Internet," said Lee Yun-hee, a counselor. "Young Koreans don't know what this is like."
Does the world's most wired country foretell a global trend? What does this tell us about youth, government and culture?
Just back from Japan where I met with Fujitsu, Sony, mobile visionaries, startups and partners. In November I'll be chairing a session at the Design for User Experience conference in Chicago on November 6, and speaking with Wendy Owen at Future Trends about Mobile China and mixed reality in Miami on November 13.
