IN GUANGDONG PROVINCE, over 23 percent of children aged between 3 and 6 have access to the internet for more than half an hour every day, while 8.5 percent of 7-year-olds purchase things online. Beijing Youth Daily comments:

Some say that Guangdong is a developed province so it is to be expected that it will have a higher rate of internet access. However, the rate is not much lower in other provinces.

It is already an undeniable fact that children have access to the internet at very young age, and that they frequently access the internet. Notably, many young children are already social media veterans by the age of 14 and many youngsters use the internet to buy things.

While it seems to be normal nowadays for children to use the internet, that is a double-edged sword. It not only opens the gate to all that is available on the web, both good and bad, but also lures them into addiction with electronic games and other things.

Children's guardians are responsible for preventing them from becoming addicted to the internet. Some guardians might not be so familiar with the internet as their children, but they are more experienced with life and they should monitor their wards.

And it is better to address children's addiction to the internet as soon as it becomes evident, because it is easier to correct at a younger age and an earlier stage. The longer the addiction is allowed to develop, the harder it will be for kids to kick the habit.

The best way to correct addiction to the internet is to stay with children and give them ample supervision. It is advisable for parents to spend more time playing with their children, so that they won't spend so much time on computers and smartphones.