Smartphone control in Korea and Japan

Nowadays, Smartphone is widespread as many people cannot survive daily life without it. However, there are lots of problems around it. For example, children sometimes indulge in the internet and social network. It may cause serious damage to them. In some countries, attempts to restrict the usage of smartphones are ongoing.

An application to restrict some functions was installed to school children's smartphones in Seoul. According to government officials, it can take a control over the machines remotely, to disconnect the phone calls and disable some apps, except emergency call. It would help teachers to prevent adverse usage by students in the schools. This trial has been done in at least 11 schools. However, some technical problems occurred, such as rooting by some students.

The Verge: South Korean schools are remotely disabling students' smartphones

Meanwhile, a new regulation for the use of Smartphone was established in Japan. The Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) and some local associations in Kariya city collaborated to start a rule. It prohibited school children from using smartphone after 9 PM.

JDP: Japanese city introduces smartphone ‘curfew’ for school children

Different from Korean case, this scheme has no compulsive power. Children can turn on his smartphone in the prohibited term, if he wants to do so. In an interview, Fushitoshi Ohashi, the principal of Karigane junior high school, said that the purpose of this rule was not only to protect the industrious school life of the students but also to offer an excuse to the students. According to him, students are compulsive to look at social networking, and they would be bullied if they failed to reply to their friends. Under this regulation, students can be free from the duty of checking messages at night.

Compared to Korean style, Japanese looks quite loose. This difference depends on each culture and situation. Harmful internet using is so serious in Korea. Perhaps the government has to make some decisions to avoid further problems. On the other hand, if stricter rules were introduced, many students and even parents would be opposed in Japan.