A Chinese college’s drastic move to remove power sockets to stop students’ late-night mobile gaming has sparked outrage among student, according to a report in South China Morning Post (SCMP). The Anhui Suzhou Institute of Technology in eastern China’s Anhui province removed all the power sockets from its five-story dormitory block last week. The students came out in protest and a video of the same went viral on Chinese social media platforms.

Students expressed their anger by shouting, tossing paper and clothes on the floor, and even set some materials on fire, the SCMP report further said. It is not clear if the college informed the students before implementing the move, but an anonymous staff member quoted by Guizhou TV stood firmly behind the socket removal.

“Power sockets in the dormitories must be cut off otherwise the students are on their phones the whole night,” the staff member said. When questioned about students’ inability to charge their phones, the staff member remained steadfast, announcing a more stringent policy: “From next Monday, all students are not allowed to bring phones to the campus. Anyone who disagrees with this policy can choose to leave the school.”

A letter from an angry student criticising the institute’s action gained significant attention online. The student acknowledged that the removal of power sockets might be justifiable if it was connected to incidents like someone secretly cooking in their room. However, there was bewilderment at the decision to remove all power sockets, with the letter emphasising that the disruption it would cause to students’ lives, affecting tasks such as receiving homework notifications and recharging meal cards. The letter also suggested that the institute’s staff should set an example by removing power sockets from faculty offices.

The story sparked a widespread discussion on social media with many backing the stance of the college.

One social media user said: “The institute is acting responsibly for the students’ wellbeing.”

Another commented: “The school deserves our support because it is resisting pressure to protect the students.”