China News Service, September 29, China Consumers Association website released the "Report on Major Complaints of Online Game Consumers" (hereinafter referred to as the "Report") on the 29th.
The "Report" pointed out that the current online game consumer complaints mainly focus on infringements on consumers' right to choose and property rights, online games involving pornography, violence and gambling frequently occur, minor protection mechanisms are not sound, and mobile game APP excessive claims four aspect.
In recent years, the online game industry has entered a stage of rapid development, showing the characteristics of large scale, large influence, large radiation, and wide application.
The "Analysis of the Complaints Accepted by the National Consumers Association in the First Half of 2020" shows that during the epidemic, consumers mostly chose to spend at home, and complaints about online games showed an upward trend. The number of complaints reached 22,705, an increase of 44% from the first half of 2019.
In order to discover prominent problems reported by consumers in online games, urge relevant industry enterprises to operate in good faith in accordance with the law, and promote the prosperous and healthy development of online games, the China Consumers Association explored and analyzed relevant public opinions and consumer complaints in the early stage, and listened to relevant opinions. On the basis of the online game seminar, the "Report on Major Complaints of Online Game Consumers" was released.
The "Report" pointed out that the current online game consumer complaints are mainly concentrated in four areas:
The first is infringement of consumer choice and property rights.
Such as unauthorized modification of online game product attributes, poor handling of issues such as recharging after the online game is suspended and deleted, the subsequent processing mechanism of online game account closure is not sound, and the default automatic renewal, etc.
The second is that online games are frequently involved in pornography, violence, and gambling, and relevant enterprises have not implemented rectification and reform, which pollutes the cultural environment of online games.
Third, the protection mechanism for minors is not sound, and there are loopholes or deficiencies in real-name authentication and anti-addiction systems.
Fourth, excessive claims on mobile game apps and collection of personal information beyond the necessary scope.
In response to the above problems, the China Consumers Association calls on online game companies to establish the concept of consumer priority, fully protect the legitimate rights and interests of consumers, and put forward the following requirements for online game companies:
One is to always strictly observe business integrity.
Online game operators must adhere to integrity, regulate operations, and publicize in accordance with the law to ensure actual results.
Relevant service agreements must not set unfair or unreasonable clauses, and should draw consumers’ attention to prices or expenses, civil liabilities, and other content that has a major interest in consumers, and explain them in accordance with consumers’ requirements.
The second is to focus on improving cultural connotation.
Online game operators must insist on putting social benefits first.
It is necessary to abide by laws and regulations and put an end to the problem of online games involving pornography, violence and gambling.
We must adhere to the correct cultural orientation, focus on content quality, and enhance cultural connotation.
It is necessary to strengthen content review, promptly warn, investigate and punish violations.
The third is to strengthen the protection of consumer rights.
Online game operators must pay attention to consumer demands, listen to consumer opinions, and improve problems in a timely manner.
It is necessary to properly handle consumer disputes, provide convenient and diverse complaint channels and relief measures, and improve consumer satisfaction.
The fourth is to resolutely implement the requirements for the protection of minors.
Online game operators must actively assume social responsibilities and build a comprehensive and multi-action protection mechanism for minors.
It is necessary to refine the protection measures for minors' games, and optimize real-name authentication, anti-addiction and parental monitoring systems.
It is necessary to strengthen coordination, explore the establishment of a linkage cumulative game time mechanism, and guide minors to play healthy games.
The fifth is to protect the security of personal information.
Online game operators must strictly abide by laws and regulations, uphold the principles of legal, proper, and necessary collection of personal information, and expressly state the purpose, method, and scope of information collection and use, and obtain consumer consent.
Take technical measures and other necessary measures to ensure information security, prevent the leakage and loss of consumers' personal information, and resolutely eliminate black industries such as information trading.
In the next step, the China Consumers Association will closely cooperate with relevant regulatory authorities and industry associations, continue to pay attention to the improvement of online game related issues and consumer demands, and take further effective measures to strengthen online game consumption supervision and protect the legitimate rights and interests of consumers.
In collaboration with China Consumers, we remind parents of minors to earnestly perform their guardianship responsibilities, strengthen the education of minors' healthy and reasonable use of online games, help minors establish correct online game consumption concepts and behaviors, and protect their own property and privacy. .
The China Consumers Association hopes that the whole society will work together to create a network space with clear sky and good ecology, so that consumers can consume with confidence and let children grow up healthily.