Her eyes glued to the screen of her smartphone, a 28-year-old accidentally fell into a river in Wenzhou, Southeast China's Zhejiang province, and drowned on Dec 29. No one was around at that time.

A video posted later on the Internet revealed these facts, shocking people across the country and eliciting a wave of sympathy for the family of the woman, surnamed Wang, especially her two children. The video also highlighted the dangers of smartphone addiction.

For years, authorities have been warning people not to use their mobile phones while driving or crossing the road. Some local transportation authorities have also issued regulations explicitly forbidding the use of phones while driving. In December, traffic police officers in East China's Shandong province, speaking on the basis of their experience, said texting or talking on the phone is much more harmful than alcohol or drug addiction for drivers.