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New regulations on Internet cafes, which go into effect today, are drawing mixed reviews from local cafe owners, and some who had been engaged in illegal practices see the rules threaten the survival of their businesses.
The new rules were released by the State Council last month to improve the administrations of public Inter-net access service, by limiting the hours cafes can be open, restricting where new cafes can set up and keeping minors out of net bars.
The most significant new rule bans anyone under the age of 18 from entering Internet cafes, even if they are accompanied by a parent. In the past, children were allowed to surf the Web in cafes during national holidays and weekends.
Officials with the Shanghai Administration of Culture, Radio, Film & TV, the local department in charge of net bar supervision, said any Internet cafe caught serving minors three times will lose it license.
"We hope schools and parents can inform us about unlawful net bars in time. Officials will deal with the complaints as soon as possible," said Mu Duanzheng, director of the administration.
Cafes cannot open their doors before 8 a.m. and must close up by midnight, under the new regulations. They also must be located at least 200 meters away from secondary and primary schools and can't be in residential apartments.
The new rules reflected the Chinese government's resolution to improve its administration on Internet cafes following a tragic fire on June 16. Two boys set an Internet cafe on fire with petrol in Beijing killing 25 people, most of whom were students from nearby universities. The victims were locked in the cafe overnight and unable to escape .
Shanghai Eastday Bar Chain Administration Co. Ltd., which runs the city's largest chain of Internet cafes, has set up its internal inspection team. Some 20 employees will patrol its 238 franchised outlets across the city. It also hung banners with its general complaint hot line number in front of its cafes.
"We want to set the model for following the rules as the way to establish our brand," said Yang Hua, assistant to the general manager of Eastday Bar.
Rules against staying open overnight could cost Shuntian Internet cafe on the Jingling Road 20 percent of its revenue. "Each night, around 20 customers come to play online games from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m., because it only costs 10 yuan (US$1.2) for that period," said an assistant, who preferred to be identified only by his surname, Cao. "But we have to abide by all government regulations."
Ms. Jin at QiQi Net Cafe in Hongkou District said their business will be ravaged by the new rules against serving children, who used to make up the majority of her customers. Even before the new rules, it was illegal for net cafe to let in children clients.
"We used to have a plan to expand our business, but we are now worrying about how to pay the 8,000 yuan rent for our cafe," Jin said.
(English.eastday.com November 15, 2002)
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