Core Insights - The "2025 Summer Minor Protection Special Action" has been officially launched by Tencent Games to enhance the protection of minors in online gaming, building on previous regulations and focusing on family education and behavior management systems [2] - Since the implementation of the "830 New Regulations" in 2021, the gaming industry has seen a sustained reduction in gaming time and spending among minors, highlighting the increasing responsibility of families in protecting minors [2] - A recent survey revealed that 73.8% of parents are aware that their children have used adult accounts to bypass gaming regulations, with 81.6% of these instances occurring with parental consent, often justified as a reward [2] Group 1: Challenges in Parental Management - Current challenges in preventing gaming addiction primarily stem from parental management, including gray areas in family account management and the common practice of shared accounts between parents and children [3] - Many parents lack refined tools for managing their children's gaming activities, which complicates the enforcement of gaming regulations [3] Group 2: New Features for Parental Control - Tencent has introduced two new features: "Game Temporary Switch" and "Parent Self-Distributed Facial Recognition" to assist parents in managing gaming accounts [5] - The "Game Temporary Switch" allows parents to set temporary gaming time limits on their accounts, providing flexibility in managing gaming behavior [5] - The "Parent Self-Distributed Facial Recognition" feature enables parents to control access to their accounts discreetly, helping to avoid direct conflict with their children [7] Group 3: Continuous Improvement in Family Management - Tencent has been exploring family management solutions since 2017, launching the Tencent Growth Guardian as the first comprehensive solution for "healthy internet use for minors" [7] - Over the years, Tencent has introduced various features to address the issue of minors using adult accounts, with the recent additions enhancing the coverage of parental control scenarios [7] - To support parents with limited internet skills, Tencent has expanded its support services, including a "Parent Counter" for one-on-one video guidance and live streaming sessions to help parents customize gaming control plans [7]

Core Viewpoint - The article discusses the implementation and effectiveness of anti-addiction mechanisms in mobile games for minors, highlighting the compliance of major game developers with regulations aimed at protecting young players from excessive gaming and inappropriate content. Group 1: Time Restrictions - All 20 evaluated mobile games have implemented time restrictions as mandated by the regulations, allowing minors to play only on weekends and holidays for a limited time [3] - Upon entering minor identity information, users receive pop-up notifications indicating the restricted playtime, and non-compliance results in forced log-off or inability to log in [3] Group 2: Recharge Limitations - The regulations specify that minors under 8 years old cannot make in-game purchases, while those aged 8 to under 16 are limited to a maximum of 50 RMB per transaction and 200 RMB per month; for those aged 16 to under 18, the limits are 100 RMB per transaction and 400 RMB per month [2] - All evaluated games strictly enforce these recharge limits, with some games only displaying restrictions at the payment interface, which may inadvertently encourage spending [5][6] Group 3: Content Filtering - The evaluation indicates that 7 games have implemented content filtering mechanisms to protect minors from inappropriate content, with improvements noted from previous assessments [12] - Major developers like Tencent and NetEase have established youth modes that restrict access to certain content based on age, demonstrating progress in content protection measures [12][13] Group 4: Parental Monitoring - Companies like Tencent, NetEase, and miHoYo have introduced external platforms for parents to monitor their children's gaming activities, including time and spending management [13] - These platforms allow parents to set custom restrictions and request refunds for unauthorized charges, enhancing parental control over minors' gaming experiences [13]

Core Insights - The article focuses on the evaluation of the minor protection mechanisms in 20 mobile games, highlighting the importance of real-name authentication as a foundational element of anti-addiction systems in the gaming industry [1][2][4]. Group 1: Real-name Authentication - Real-name authentication has become widespread in almost all mainstream games in the Chinese market, serving as the first line of defense in identifying player age and enforcing manufacturer responsibility [1][2]. - Despite the prevalence of real-name systems, there are potential vulnerabilities, such as unclear binding of real-name information to account information and the possibility of modifying real-name information under certain conditions, which may allow minors to bypass the system [1][7]. Group 2: Age Restrictions and Parental Consent - All 20 evaluated games included age restrictions, parental consent requirements, and appropriate age prompts in their user registration agreements, marking a significant compliance with the established standards [4][10]. - The "Network Game Age Appropriateness Prompt" standard, effective since December 2020, mandates that age prompts be prominently displayed in various game interfaces, ensuring visibility and compliance [4]. Group 3: Personal Information Protection - The evaluation revealed that while most games indicated they would not use minors' information for commercial purposes, only a few leading companies made specific commitments regarding the protection of biometric data [10][12]. - There has been an improvement in the detail provided by game manufacturers regarding the types of data collected from minors and their intended use, indicating a refinement of related policy details [10][13]. Group 4: Parental Involvement - The importance of parental involvement in monitoring minors' gaming activities has been increasingly recognized, with the need for better mechanisms to inform and empower parents [8][9]. - Some manufacturers have begun to require more detailed parental information, such as names and identification numbers, to enhance the monitoring capabilities of guardians [13][15].