In 2008, China for the first time explicitly classed Internet addiction as a mental disorder. Recently the China Youth Association for Network Development conducted a questionnaire and interview-based survey in four municipalities and 26 provincial capitals to see how serious the condition is.
Results show that over 14 percent of young people aged between six and 29 are Internet addicts. That is over 24 million people across the country.
Eighteen million other young people in cities have shown a tendency to becoming addicted to the Internet. This makes up over 12 percent of the total youth population.
The standard to judge if one is an Internet addict includes: the person can't stop using Internet actively, shows no interest in other activities, feels angry and anxious after stopping Internet games, and loses the ability for social activities such as making friends or working.