THE SHARE PRICES of most smartphone electronic game companies dropped markedly in China's A-share market on Tuesday, after growing criticism from the public about a popular electronic game. Beijing News comments:

Last month, a 13-year-old middle school student died after he threw himself out of a window at his home in Hangzhou, East China's Zhejiang province, because his father wanted him to quit his addiction to Tencent's game King of Glory.

There have been many reports of middle and primary school students stealing money so they can make in-game purchases. Some have dropped out of school to play the game. It is not a business problem, but a social problem.

Many people have accused the electronic game companies of caring only about their revenue without fulfilling their obligations to remind youngsters of the possible negative influence that constantly playing these games may have on their mental and physical health.

King of Glory is the highest grossing game in the world this year, with an estimated revenue of around 6 billion yuan ($883 million) in the first quarter.

However, due to the mounting public pressure Tencent has restricted the number of hours players under the age of 12 can play the game each day.

Yet it is unfair to demonize the game companies. The internet industry as a whole in China lacks the necessary standards and effective supervision, and ignores public interests while being obsessed by chasing quick profits.

The industry should take the opportunity to establish an age-based classification system for games, so as to better balance the industry's development and its social responsibility.

The big companies in the industry need to take the lead in introducing such a long-overdue classification system, which would not only protect the interests of the public but also their own.