The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology manages some APP mandatory download and other issues——
Can't watch without downloading? This kind of APP needs to be rectified
Our reporter Wang Wenzheng
I want to browse the link, but I encounter "I don't want to download the APP (mobile application), I won't show it." The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology urges relevant Internet companies to rectify problems such as the mandatory requirement to download APPs.
What are the possible violations of user rights and interests behind the induced download?
In the next step, how to carry out APP rectification in a targeted manner and create a good mobile Internet industry ecology?
Forced downloads violate user rights
By providing better services to win more active users, so as to achieve a virtuous cycle of "acquiring customers-active customers-creating revenue-acquiring customers", which is what most APP developers and operators pursue.
However, some APPs use non-compliant methods to infringe on user rights and interests when acquiring customers.
Many people have encountered situations where they are required to download APPs when browsing pages from personal computers, mobile browsers, WeChat Moments, etc., and problems such as collecting personal information of users and asking for excessive permissions are endless.
"Some links require the user to download the APP after entering the login page. If the user ignores the download request, it will interfere with the user's browsing experience by folding and popping up windows." Beijing white-collar Zhang Song often browses various links on WeChat Moments. He found that more and more links were "bound" with related APPs, "don't let them watch without downloading", which troubled him.
In addition to WeChat Moments, mobile browser pages are also a "high-incidence area" for forced downloads of some APPs.
Some users reported to the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology that when they log in to a forum through a mobile browser, they can only browse the title and main content, and they need to download an APP to browse all comments and messages.
Some people also reported that although some information and knowledge sharing platforms do not require the download of APPs, they are "scraping the edge" in other aspects. The reading experience of their links in WeChat Moments and mobile browsers is not good, and most comments and messages are folded. , you must download the relevant APP if you want to read it comfortably.
"Don't show it if you don't download it" is one of the by-products of the app's "savage growth".
In recent years, APP has increasingly become an important mobile Internet interactive carrier in the digital economy era.
On the one hand, the various APPs have facilitated the lives of residents, and on the other hand, they have also caused many problems in the process of "barbaric growth".
Issues such as forced or deceptive induced downloads and excessive permission requests are damaging the industry ecology.
In response to related issues, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology issued the "Interim Regulations on Preset and Distribution Management of Mobile Smart Terminal Application Software" as early as 2016.
The regulations require that mobile intelligent terminal application software provided by manufacturers and Internet information service providers shall not call terminal functions unrelated to the services provided, illegally send commercial electronic information; Personal information, opening application software, bundling and promoting other application software, etc., infringing the legitimate rights and interests of users or endangering network security.
Recently, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology re-emphasized that some websites reported by users that they are forced to download APPs when users browse the page information. rectification.
Play a good APP governance "combination punch"
"Don't show it if you don't download it" is the first link in the APP infringement chain of "inducing downloads—excessive claims—collecting user information—obtaining illegitimate benefits.”
"Forced or induced download is only the first step. The next step is to ask for various permissions. For a while, you need to use a camera, then you need to locate, and then you need to read the address book, and then push a lot of advertisements." Uncle Hu in Beijing is over seventy years old. It didn't take long for the smartphone to change its color because of APP-induced downloads and excessive claims, and even thought of switching back to a non-smartphone.
Not long ago, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology announced the first batch of "APP Circulars on Infringement of User Rights and Interests" this year.
In response to the issue of APP infringement, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology launched a "combination punch" in APP governance, and vigorously rectified the illegal collection and use of personal information, pop-up harassment and other acts that infringe on users' rights and interests through the formulation of standards, technical inspections, special rectification, and industry self-discipline.
According to reports, in 2021, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology has detected a total of 2.08 million APPs, notified 1,549 illegal APPs, and removed 514 APPs that refused to rectify.
How to manage "no download, no viewing"?
The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology puts forward three requirements for the relevant APPs: when users browse the content of the page, the APP shall not be downloaded automatically or forcibly without the user's consent or active selection; The right to know and the right to choose; without reasonable and justifiable reasons, users shall not be asked not to view the APP without downloading it, or to not allow the user to view the full text.
At the same time, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology emphasizes that it is not allowed to force or mislead users to download, open the APP, or jump to the application store by means of folding display, active pop-up windows, frequent prompts, and reduced experience, which affects users' normal browsing of information.
During the interview, the reporter found that many elderly users reported that their mobile phone pages often "grow" many new apps for no reason.
Industry insiders pointed out that some APPs deceived the elderly to download by jumping out of buttons, pop-up windows, etc., and secretly collected user information and data portraits after installation, and targeted all kinds of inferior content and deceptive properties to elderly users. advertisment.
"Children always help me to clean and uninstall the APP in my phone. This time I uninstall it, and a new one will pop up next time. Sometimes the download button will even be disguised as a 'red envelope', 'coupon' and other forms, so I can't see clearly. I made a mistake by accident." Hu said.
To create a clear cyberspace for the elderly, it is necessary to help the elderly to bridge the "digital divide".
According to reports, while strengthening APP governance, the aging-appropriate transformation of APP is also being carried out simultaneously.
Since last year, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology has organized a nationwide special campaign for APP aging-friendly and barrier-free renovation, organized 227 websites and APPs to complete the renovation, and launched various features such as font enlargement, voice guidance, and "one-key direct connection to human customer service". The unique function guides terminal enterprises to provide support for the design and production services of aging-appropriate intelligent terminal products, and promotes a batch of APPs with simple interface and convenient operation to meet the needs of elderly users.
In the next step, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology will focus on the elderly and other key groups to promote information inclusiveness, organize a new batch of APPs to carry out aging-friendly and information barrier-free renovation and improvement, and create a number of aging-friendly and barrier-free transformation benchmarks.
Multi-parties work together to optimize the industry ecology
Industry insiders said that to protect the rights and interests of APP users and personal information, developers, operators, SDK (third-party software development kit) providers, application stores and regulatory authorities need to form a joint force to establish a good industry ecology.
The "White Paper on APP Personal Information Protection" released by mobile phone manufacturer OPPO and Deloitte proposes that APP developers and operators should improve the personal information protection system and working mechanism, enhance the technical capabilities of security assurance, actively carry out personal information protection assessment, and strengthen the protection of third-party software. Security review and management of development toolkits, and take precautionary measures to protect users' personal information.
At the same time, third-party software development kit providers should improve the personal information protection compliance system, and disclose the rules for collecting and using personal information to APP developers and operators and end users.
As for the app store, the "White Paper" believes that as an APP distribution platform, it should strengthen APP listing review and on-shelf monitoring management, reject listing applications with malicious behavior and obvious violations, and promptly deal with those found during on-shelf monitoring and the requirements of regulatory authorities Illegal and illegal apps that have been removed from the shelves.
In the process of APP governance, regulatory authorities will continue to play an important role.
Previously, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology conducted inspections on violations such as APP cheating and misleading users to download, ultra-wide and high-frequency requests, etc.
For apps that deceive and mislead users to download, excessively ask for permissions, and illegally collect personal information in their territories, local communication management departments have begun to rectify.
The reporter found out that in recent months, the communication administrations in Shanxi, Liaoning, Zhejiang, Guangdong, Sichuan, Guizhou, Shaanxi and other places have actively carried out APP technology monitoring, and reviewed hundreds of APPs with serious violations and refusal to rectify. rack handling.
Among them, the Beijing Municipal Communications Administration has removed 16 apps that infringe on users’ rights and interests, including “Daoke Reading”, “Leju Buying a House” and “E-Bag Washing”. Among them, 8 apps have the problem of compulsory, frequent and excessive requests for permissions.
In the future, the APP governance work will continue to be strengthened.
Focusing on various violations reported by users, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology stated that it will conduct full-chain and full-coverage supervision of many links involved in mobile Internet services, mainly to achieve three "full coverage" - full coverage of mobile phones and tablet terminals; The key chain of responsibility links such as stores, third-party software development kits, and pre-installation are fully covered; the APP technology testing is fully covered, so that users' rights and interests are fully protected.
At the same time, improve the level of personal information protection, and urge major Internet companies to establish customer service hotlines to respond to user demands.
In terms of establishing a long-term mechanism, it will focus on key areas such as mobile Internet services and personal information protection, further improve the incentive mechanism and accountability mechanism, strengthen technical means, and stimulate the kinetic energy of enterprises to improve services and improve their own level.