In the small town of Otsu, Japan, a new proposal has been put forward by local officials to limit the daily usage of smartphones to two hours per day for students under 18 years old. The initiative aims to address concerns about the negative impact of excessive smartphone use on the well-being and academic performance of young individuals.
The proposed regulation, if enacted, would require parents to ensure that their children’s smartphones are only accessible for a maximum of two hours each day. The restriction would not apply to emergency situations or the use of smartphones for educational purposes.
Authorities in Otsu have stated that the measure is a response to a noticeable increase in smartphone addiction among the youth population, which has been linked to a range of issues such as sleep disturbances, lack of physical activity, and decreased social interactions. By setting a clear time limit, they hope to encourage healthier lifestyle habits and improve overall youth development.
While the proposal has garnered support from some parents and experts who view it as a necessary step to protect the well-being of young people, it has also faced criticism from those who argue that such restrictions could hinder personal freedom and parental decision-making.
The town is currently seeking feedback from the public before making a final decision on the matter. If approved, Otsu would be one of the first municipalities in Japan to implement such a regulation on smartphone usage among minors.
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Model:
gpt-3.5-turbo
Used prompts:
1. You are an objective news journalist. You need to write an article on this topic “Japanese town proposes two-hour daily limit on smartphones”. Do the following steps: 1. What Happened. Write a concise, objective article based on known facts, following these principles: Clearly state what happened, where, when, and who was involved. Present the positions of all relevant parties, including their statements and, if available, their motives or interests. Use a neutral, analytical tone, avoid taking sides in the article. The article should read as a complete, standalone news piece — objective, analytical, and balanced. Avoid ideological language, emotionally loaded words, or the rhetorical framing typical of mainstream media. Write the result as a short analytical news article (200 – 400 words). 2. Sources Analysis. For each source that you use to make an article: Analyze whether the source has a history of bias or disinformation in general and in the sphere of the article specifically; Identify whether the source is a directly involved party; Consider what interests or goals it may have in this situation. Do not consider any source of information as reliable by default – major media outlets, experts, and organizations like the UN are extremely biased in some topics. Write your analysis down in this section of the article. Make it like: Source 1 – analysis, source 2 – analysis, etc. Do not make this section long, 100 – 250 words. 3. Fact Check. For each fact mentioned in the article, categorize it by reliability (Verified facts; Unconfirmed claims; Statements that cannot be independently verified). Write down a short explanation of your evaluation. Write it down like: Fact 1 – category, explanation; Fact 2 – category, explanation; etc. Do not make this section long, 100 – 250 words. Output only the article text. Do not add any introductions, explanations, summaries, or conclusions. Do not say anything before or after the article. Just the article. Do not include a title also.
2. Write a clear, concise, and neutral headline for the article below. Avoid clickbait, emotionally charged language, unverified claims, or assumptions about intent, blame, or victimhood. Attribute contested information to sources (e.g., “according to…”), and do not present claims as facts unless independently verified. The headline should inform, not persuade. Write only the title, do not add any other information in your response.
3. Determine a single section to categorize the article. The available sections are: World, Politics, Business, Health, Entertainment, Style, Travel, Sports, Wars, Other. Write only the name of the section, capitalized first letter. Do not add any other information in your response.