This is the age classification? Huawei application market 12+ various contracts, 16+ krypton induction.

In 20 19, Huawei's application market launched an Android application grading system to guide users of different ages to download and use apps. Service prompt: After setting the application level, only applications below the setting level are allowed to be installed.

However, how is this "domestic initiative" and "domestic exclusive" age classification application achieved? Dunant Data Research Institute recently launched a series of investigations on violations of mobile app stores. Unfortunately, the survey found that Huawei's app market posted "12+" and "16+" age tips, but it was frequently harassed, induced by gold, and it was possible to rent game accounts! Under the application level of "12+", the actual age of many games is also "16+".

The "youth model" is more and more widely used in the construction and promotion of domestic apps. In fact, in addition to App, Huawei's application market has also tested the "youth model": from 20 19, it has implemented "application classification" and classified all applications into "over 3 years old", "over 7 years old", "12 years old" and "/" However, the innovation of "application classification", which should be proud of, is full of loopholes in its implementation.

Under the guidance of the General Administration of Press and Publication, the Game Working Committee of China Audiovisual and Digital Publishing Association organized relevant research institutions, media and game enterprises. The group standard "Age Tips for Online Games" was compiled, and it was tried out in February last year. This standard indicates the age of underage users by evaluating the types, contents and functions of games. The standard provides green 8+, blue 12+ and yellow16+logos of different ages, and gives clear suggestions on the relevant interfaces of game works.

Southern Reporter observed that under the application level of "12+" in Huawei's application market, many games with actual age tips of "16+" appeared. For example, the yellow age prompt "16+" is clearly marked on the login main interfaces of games such as Call of Duty, Sword and Expedition, Douluo Mainland-Return of the Gods, eve online: The Milky Way Without Embers. According to the tips, these games are allowed to watch or use the contents and functions of firearms cultivation, combat confrontation, stranger socialization, etc., which are more suitable for the elderly.

The age prompt in the Call of Duty mobile game is "16+", and it is "12+" in the Huawei application market.

Moreover, in Huawei's application market, there are also applications that provide mobile games and end-game account rental services. For example, an application named "* * Rent" opened in the mode of "12+" provides account rental services for 30 games such as the glory of the king and Peace Elite, including hourly rent, overnight rent, daily rent, weekly rent and other rental options. You can rent an adult game account as low as 1 yuan, thus bypassing the game addiction prevention.

How to prevent game addiction from the source is a practical problem for the protection of minors. According to the requirements of the newly revised Law on the Protection of Minors, which came into effect in June, online game service providers should classify game products, and should not let minors touch inappropriate games or game functions. Internet product and service providers shall not provide minors with products and services that induce their addiction. Wang Junyi, a lawyer at Beijing Lei Teng Law Firm, believes that this regulation has also sounded the alarm for the app store. The low threshold for downloading apps in app stores increases the risk that minors will download apps that are not suitable for their age or even get illegal apps easily.

Dating in the same city, wheat with wheat ... strangers socialize more and more and enter the lives of minors through the application market. In Huawei's application market, the application level of "16+" is relatively relaxed for minors. Du Nan reporter used several social related words to search and found that many applications named "nearby * *", "local * *", "stranger's * *" and "companion" were reserved. From the introduction, this kind of application is mostly oriented to sexual relations such as partner, marriage and making friends. When you open the application, there are many bad contents such as harassment and bombing, krypton induction, dating information, and even paid pornographic services. It is worth noting that within the application level of "12+", many of the above applications can also be downloaded and used normally.

Du Nan reporter randomly downloaded an application called "Nearby * *". After registering as a male user, he received more than ten private messages from different women in just ten minutes, which were provocative and embarrassing. During the use, you will continue to receive "video calls" from female users. After clicking Accept, the interface will immediately pop up a window to remind you to recharge, with the amount ranging from 12 yuan to 3,000 yuan. After recharging the corresponding gold coins, you will get a certain number of video chats. However, if you refuse to answer the phone, even if you leave the application, the video call will ring again and again in the background. In addition, if you register as a female user, the platform will constantly remind you to improve the information, including height, chest circumference, marital status and so on. Female users can also charge for video and voice settings.

12+ dating application below application level

Other dating apps such as "Local *" and "Companion" are all similar routines. For example, after male users log in for the first time, they will be harassed by female private messages with high frequency. The contents of private letters are mostly to lure people to meet, find lovers, and establish "deep" relationships. Private messages on some platforms are too explicit: "Brother, you like * * *" and "Do you want to take a bath right away?" When you want to chat further, you often go to the "pay" link. On the community channels of these dating software, more explicit pictures and texts followed. Most of the women in the picture are naked, and the sketches are full of sexual hints.

Explicit private messages on some platforms

Not long ago, the black hand behind dating software was exposed. It is reported that many so-called dating softwares create a "high-quality image" of women chatting by looking for "chatting with children" behind their backs, and use large-scale explicit pictures and provocative language to induce male users to spend money on chatting, so as to deeply train chatting skills and words, thus making profits. According to this analysis, if the platform intermediary recruits female chatters, attracts male users to recharge their chat content with routine skills, and divides the recharge amount and gifts of chat content, this behavior has been suspected of using telecommunication network technology for the purpose of illegal possession.

In Huawei's application market, comments on such applications are full of complaints: "changing the law to lure money", "asking for a new software to chat after a few words", "filled gold coins will suddenly disappear" and "nowhere to report", and users claim to have been cheated of 3000 yuan on a dating platform.

Huawei applies age grading standards in the application market (for Trial Implementation)

According to the Grading Standard of Application Age in Huawei Application Market (Trial) issued in 2020, the applicable age of application is divided into five grades, namely, 3+, 7+, 12+, 16+ and 18+. According to the detailed description of the classification, minors under 18 need to restrict violence, sexual suggestion, terror, swearing, tobacco/drinking to varying degrees when using App. However, in practice, such classification guidance is still vague.

Zhi Zhenfeng, a researcher at the Institute of Law of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, believes that many applications have benefits, such as inducing minors to seek some illegitimate interests. In its view, the current "application grading" effect of Huawei's application market is limited, because the legal basis is not clear and the auditing standards are not clear, and it is impossible to shield harmful information that may infringe on minors.

However, the lack of effectiveness of App "youth mode" is often criticized. On July 2 1 this year, the Central Network Information Office launched the special action of "Renovating the Network Environment for Minors in Summer", which also focused on this.

According to the investigation in Du Nan, although Huawei's application market has set up an age firewall, there are loopholes or even grey areas in management in terms of age classification and content review.

In this regard, Wu Shenkuo, executive director of the International Network Rule of Law Research Center of Beijing Normal University and deputy director of the internet society of china Research Center, believes that if there are loopholes in the implementation level after setting the application level, illegal information will flow into the APP, laying a "time bomb" for minors, so it is even more necessary to push the content of school-age users accurately. In his view, minors' discrimination ability and self-control ability are weak, and their resistance to illegal information such as harassment and gold induction is weak when reviewing non-standard apps. It is easy to go astray because of the "curious" mentality, which brings great harm to the physical and mental health of minors.

At present, China's current laws and regulations have stipulated the management responsibility of the application store for the application software provided, such as requiring the application store to establish an application software management mechanism, auditing and testing the application software, and establishing and improving the handling measures for users' reports and complaints. Wu Shenkuo believes that APP store, as the first line of defense, should play the role of a "transit station", increase the censorship of app content, and filter illegal information. If the censorship mechanism of the app store is loose, providing download channels for the APP will eventually lead to the loss of users. If the APP store does not play a strict censorship role, it will bear certain responsibilities and obligations.

In Wang Junyi's view, protecting minors has also become a statutory obligation that app stores should actively perform and a mandatory requirement for compliance management. We should strengthen the standardized management of the app store and refine the responsibilities of the app store. He also suggested that the regulatory authorities should not only continue to carry out rectification and management, increase the frequency of supervision and improve the ability of detection and monitoring, but also further study and introduce a hierarchical management system that adapts to the application market, and require the application distribution platform to strictly implement it.

For more reports, see:

Pimping, Baccarat, Apple App Store, Pornography App, Random Search, Censorship Bottom Line?

Produced by Dunant Data Research Institute

Network content ecological governance research center

Author: Li Runze Zi

Intern: Zhang Jinjie.