Aug 27, 2021 09:00:00

App Store points out that even minors have unlimited access to adult content, Apple has abandoned its promise to protect children

Apple announced on August 5, 2021 that it would

scan iPhone photos and messages to prevent the spread of 'Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM)'. , 'On the contrary, the rights of children are violated' and has been criticized by human rights groups around the world. Meanwhile, the Tech Transparency Project (TTP) , a project team that aims to keep technology transparent, says, 'Apple has left the risks that adult apps distributed on the App Store pose to children.' We announced the results of the survey.

Apple's App Store Loopholes Put Children at Risk | Tech Transparency Project
https://www.techtransparencyproject.org/articles/apples-app-store-loopholes-put-children-risk

TTP Investigation: Apple's App Store Loopholes Put Children at Risk | Campaign for Accountability
https://campaignforaccountability.org/ttp-investigation-apples-app-store-loopholes-put-children-at-risk/

◆ App Store support status
In the App Store, there are many adult apps such as chat apps with sexually explicit content and gambling apps that actually trade money. TTP created a fictitious 14-year-old Apple ID with a date of birth set in February 2007 to see if they could download those apps.

When the TPP tried to download an 'app that has been given an age limit of 17 years or older by Apple' using a 14-year-old Apple ID, a pop-up confirming 'whether it is 17 years or older' was displayed. However, it was said that the download was successful just by tapping 'OK'. The TPP said, 'Apple did not ban the download of age-restricted apps, even though Apple knows that users are under the age of 17 by Apple ID. This is for adult content by minors. It shows that access prevention is left to each app. '

◆ Support status of each application
After confirming that the measures to keep minor users away from adult content are not working well on the App Store, can TPP then download the adult app and actually use the app with a 14-year-old Apple ID? I confirmed.

When TPP downloaded and launched the matching app 'UberHoney', no screen asking for age was displayed, and suddenly sexual images and movies were displayed. Also, even in the chat application 'Hippo --Random Live Video Chat' where sexual content flies, the age confirmation screen was not displayed at all even though the terms of use stipulate that use under the age of 18 is prohibited. The TPP points out that these apps violate the App Store Review guidelines that prohibit the publication of 'apps that contain overtly sexual or obscene content.'

Gambling apps that generate money transactions generally require strict age verification, which requires an identity verification document with a photo of the face. However, in the gambling app 'Cash Clash Games', it is considered that you are an adult just by checking the checkbox to confirm that you are over 18 years old when registering an account, and you actually register a bank account and win a prize. I was able to do it.

Some adult apps will not allow you to register if you enter a date of birth or age that has not reached the target age, with the message 'Not yet available'. However, with the matching app ' Grindr ' for gay people, registration was successful by simply entering the date of birth of the lie after the message indicating that it was not available was displayed. Within 24 hours of successful registration, the TPP account received six messages, including two sexually explicit photos.

In the matching app 'KinkD' whose main purpose is sexual use, if you enter '14' in the age input field, a warning message 'You must be 18 to 99 years old' is displayed, and the age of the lie is displayed. Registration is successful just by entering. After successful registration, a message stating 'You may receive sexual content' is displayed, and you can now send and receive messages and photos with an unspecified number of users.

According to TPP, matching apps such as 'Tinder', 'Match', and 'Skout' will not be able to register an account if you enter a date of birth indicating that you have not reached the target age or link it with a Facebook account. , Even if you reinstall the app, the account registration will continue to be impossible. For example, when I tried to register a fictitious 14-year-old account on Tinder, I got the message 'You must be 18 or older to use Tinder' and the number of days left until it becomes available.

Michelle Coopersmith, executive director of Campaign for Accountability , a non-profit organization that runs the TPP, said in response to the findings, 'Apple will be distributed on the App Store to protect users from harmful content. It claims to have strict control over its content, but Apple doesn't even have a safeguard to keep underage users safe, 'he said.