Anti-addiction! Online game real-name authentication system is expected to go online before September.
Beijing Youth Daily reporter learned from the recently held 2020 China International Digital Interactive Entertainment Exhibition that in order to prevent teenagers from indulging in online games, China is accelerating the construction of online game real-name authentication system, which is initially planned to go online before September.
Accelerate the real-name authentication and organize enterprises to access in batches.
Feng Shixin, deputy director of Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Publishing Bureau, said at the theme forum of the exhibition that in the first half of 2020, China’s online games showed a good trend of rising against the trend. However, the online game industry still has the potential to improve, and the industry calls for more excellent works with creativity, taste and temperature. In addition, some teenagers are addicted to online games, excessive consumption and other issues, which have long attracted widespread attention from all walks of life. Feng Shixin said that China is accelerating the construction of real-name authentication system at the national level, and it is initially planned to go online before September, when enterprises will be organized to access in batches.
On August 4, the reporter of Beiqing Daily asked a number of game companies whether they had received the test of the real-name authentication system, and the other party said that they had not received the test invitation yet. Xu Xiaoliang, a senior game planner, told the reporter of Beiqing Daily: "Game companies have always regarded youth anti-addiction and real-name authentication as the foundation of game brands, and constantly upgraded and optimized their own systems. If the national standard can be launched in September, we will support and participate in the test for the first time, so that the system can run smoothly and healthily. "
Pilot 16+ Anti-addiction System Deepening "Face Recognition"
The reporter of Beiqing Daily learned that in 2019, Tencent upgraded the anti-addiction system again to increase the age of game access. The upgraded anti-addiction system can be said to be the most rigorous anti-addiction system in Tencent’s history. In addition, Tencent also said that it will pilot the 16+ anti-addiction system in China first, and then popularize it nationwide. Tencent said that when the 16+ anti-addiction system is popularized throughout the country, many games will be able to really say goodbye to many primary school students — — Teenagers under the age of 16 will not be authorized to play the game and will not be able to enter the game.
According to reports, in May 2020, a total of 80 games under Tencent implemented the new anti-addiction access work, and explored the further application of "face recognition" technology. The number of users of Tencent’s growth guardian platform exceeded 30 million. Following the new anti-addiction regulations for 50 products including Peace Elite, Tencent has strictly implemented the real-name system of online game accounts and controlled the duration and consumption amount of minors’ games in 30 products including the glory of the king, Dragon Valley and Yunshang Feather before the end of May. According to these regulations, if the player wants to recharge after the natural month in the game exceeds that of 400 yuan through WeChat payment, the system will require the user to perform face recognition verification, and the subsequent payment behavior is only allowed if the "faces" are consistent. In this way, it will effectively avoid the occurrence of excessive entertainment consumption of minors. As for the privacy issues brought by face recognition technology, Tencent said that in the future, it will follow the guidance of relevant authorities, take a cautious attitude, and comprehensively consider the balance between user privacy, information security and minor identification needs, and gradually explore the security application of this cutting-edge technology.
The existing system is mostly a mere formality, which leads to parents’ dissatisfaction.
Insiders pointed out that although the relevant departments have repeatedly urged various game companies, video websites and live broadcast platforms to upgrade the "Youth Anti-Addiction System" for many times, it is still ineffective. Children have a set of cracking methods, and parents are not satisfied with the existing "Youth Anti-Addiction System".
The reporter of Beiqing Daily found that in terms of game platforms, many enterprises simplify the real-name authentication settings of the software itself on the premise of real-name authentication of third-party accounts, which makes it very easy for underage consumers to log in to the game through adult third-party accounts. Several games such as "Peace Elite" and "the glory of the king" can be registered through other accounts, such as WeChat, QQ, email and mobile phone number, or directly logged in by clicking authorization, and real-name authentication is a mere formality.
In terms of live broadcast platform, although many applications (APPs) have teenager mode, they can extend the use time of the software in teenager mode by entering a password. "One Live Broadcast" will automatically check "Alipay Small Secret Free Payment" when recharging payment, and it must be cancelled manually to change the automatic payment method.
The reporter of Beiqing Daily also found that many video websites set up a youth mode on the APP side, but there is no such function in the web version. At the same time, many game apps, live broadcast platforms and video websites can successfully avoid the youth mode after uninstalling. Some e-commerce platforms provide the service of renting game accounts, so that underage players can "rent and purchase" to bypass the real-name authentication step.
To truly put "adolescent addiction prevention" in place, we need to carry out "comprehensive management" from society, family, students and schools. Zhang Li, a senior designer of the game, bluntly said in an interview with the reporter of Beiqing Daily: "If various manufacturers still don’t realize the seriousness of the matter, the relevant state departments can introduce a third-party implant system so that all parties have no loopholes to drill."
Text/reporter Chloe Wang
Coordinator/Liu Jianghua