Wayward kids seek all-night gaming at Internet cafes

Can you imagine a world where kids stay out all night playing video games at Internet cafes? Believe it or not, that’s already happening in China. Read this news story: “China opens halfway house for Net addicts.”
According to the article, “Computer and online gaming has exploded in China in recent years, with an estimated 14 million people taking part. Amid growing concern that more and more young people are getting hooked, China has issued a raft of regulations aimed at curbing excessive game playing at Internet cafes and heavily fining owners that admit minors.”
Wang Hui, the chief social worker at the halfway house for Internet addicts that recently opened in mainland China, claims that they don’t force kids to go to the shelter. “We wander around in nearby Internet bars at night and bring them to the halfway house if the teen agrees.”
Internet addiction could very well be a legitimate thing, but I can’t help think about the family dynamics of the homes where these wayward kids are escaping from. Parents should be more involved with their kids’ lives, restrict and monitor the amount of time they can spend playing games on the Internet, and start taking responsibility for their jobs as parents instead of blaming everyone and everything else for how their children behave.
The final sentence of the article made me shake my head in disbelief. “In May, the parents of a 13-year-old boy who killed himself after playing a computer game for 36 hours sued the game’s Chinese distributor.” Do you think the game was even remotely responsible for this teen’s suicide? If you do, I’m eager to hear your explanation

The soaring rate of Internet addiction among today’s youth

If you think that Internet addiction isn't a very serious phenomenon, think again. A recent news story discusses the steps government officials in China are taking to curb the soaring rate of addiction: "China bans new Internet cafes for a year."
According to the article, "Internet cafes are often seen in China as hotbeds of juvenile crime. 'It is common to see students from primary and middle schools lingering in Internet bars overnight, puffing on cigarettes and engrossed in online games,' Xinhua quoted NPC deputy Yu Wen as saying in a separate report."
So, exactly how big of a problem is Internet addiction? "Last year, a report from the China National Children's Center, a government think-tank, said that 13 percent of China's 18 million Internet users under 18 were Internet addicts."
I'd be interested to see similar studies conducted in other countries. For example, what percent of the youth in the United States are suffering from Internet addiction? If anyone is familiar with this topic, I'd love to read your insight.