When the society is still debating whether minors should ban smart phones, it is undeniable that mobile phones have become an important tool in children’s lives, which not only provides the benefit of convenient contact, but also has the harm of being addicted to games. Some minors register dating software and step into the dating territory that belongs to adults; Some children even blindly expand their circle of friends by pushing friends through WeChat, which opens a dangerous door. In the interview, the reporter found that in reality, there have been many cases in which minors have been sexually assaulted by others through making friends through mobile APP and WeChat.
case
High school girls’ mobile phone friends were molested.
A few months ago, Xiaoya, a high school girl, met Xiao Tao, a boy two years older than herself, through a mobile dating APP. Looking at the other person’s head, Xiaoya inevitably had a good impression on him. Across the screen, the two people’s behavior and words and deeds are also less scruples, and even some ambiguous words and deeds. After a few days of chatting on dating software, the two met in a big shopping mall.
However, meeting is not as famous as meeting. Xiao Tao’s appearance is far from the avatar on dating software, and even a little rustic. Xiaoya was unhappy and ignored Xiao Tao’s love, playing games in the video game area by herself.
In fact, 17-year-old Xiao Tao secretly went to work in the city from other places without telling his parents, and just found a job. Making friends by mobile phone has become an important way for him to integrate into big city life. Xiao Tao is full of expectations for this meeting and is looking forward to a beautiful relationship. Looking at Xiaoya’s back playing games, he couldn’t help hugging Xiaoya from behind. I didn’t think about it, but I was strongly resisted and sternly reprimanded by Xiaoya.
Xiao Tao was poured a pot of cold water by Xiaoya’s indifferent attitude, and then she thought that she had spent 100 yuan to buy coins for Xiaoya to play games, which made her feel even more lost. So he childishly hid each other’s bags, called Xiaoya to the underground garage, and angrily told Xiaoya to ask 100 yuan for money to recover economic losses.
When he got the money back, Xiao Tao was still angry. On the spur of the moment, he pushed Xiaoya to the wall and reached out and touched the privacy of the other party. When he was just arrested by the police, Xiao Tao didn’t feel that this move could be a big deal, and he didn’t realize that it was a crime. In the end, Xiao Tao was sentenced by the court for compulsory indecency.
Although one is the victim and the other is the defendant, when handling this case, Feng Miaomiao, deputy director of the First Procuratorate of Xicheng Procuratorate, felt sorry for both children. If it weren’t for the mobile dating software, the lives of two minors would have been completely different. Now, one is forced to molest, leaving a psychological shadow, and one is imprisoned when he first enters the society. In a sense, he is a victim.
"How can two minors register for dating apps?" While handling the case, Feng Miaomiao paid more attention to this mobile dating software. There are also many criticisms of this software on the Internet, one of which is the low age limit threshold, which has a bad influence on minors.
Just one month after Xiaoya’s case happened, the National Network Information Office launched a special rectification campaign against the chaos of the network audio platform, and this software is also under the rectification. It was not until last month that the software was restored to the shelves and the registration threshold was raised to 18 years old.
survey
False age registration lacks supervision
The reporter downloaded the dating APP full of fashionable gimmicks involved in the case, and the user agreement has been highlighted: "If you are under 18 years old, please read and fully understand this agreement with the legal guardian, and use the software and related services with the consent of the legal guardian."
The reporter registered with the mobile phone number. In the process of improving the information, the page prompts: "Filling in the correct information will help match, and we will protect your private information." The reporter found that if you are under 18 years old, the system will prompt that the setting failed and you can’t continue. As long as you choose to reach the age of 18, you can pass. There is no need to upload an ID card or additional verification procedures, so the registration is successful, and then you can choose someone who matches you to chat.
The reporter also registered another dating software that has been installed more than 100 million times. Although there is no special clause about minors in the user agreement, there is also an age threshold in the registration process. You can’t choose a date of birth under the age of 18 to register, but you can choose a date of birth that reaches the age of 18, and you can register successfully. There is also no substantive audit procedure.
Prosecutor Feng Miaomiao said that setting a threshold based on age is helpful to prevent minors from stepping into the social circle of adults, receiving some bad information or suffering illegal harm, which is beneficial to the protection of minors. However, this threshold that can be broken only by users’ arbitrary settings is ineffective. For minors who are curious or have practical needs, it is as easy as blowing off dust to falsely report their age. And it is hard for them to really realize that what will be waiting for them when they enter the online world of adults with a pass that does not meet their real age?
The reporter learned that in the previous cases of sexual assault on minors, it was also revealed that the dating software company did not verify the identity information of the registered personnel, which led to the problem that minors could register and log in by falsely reporting their age, and there were huge loopholes in management. Some procuratorates also specially issued procuratorial suggestions to relevant authorities to urge them to strengthen supervision and management of online dating platforms.
The painful cases and the procuratorial suggestions of the procuratorate all show that the problem that the dating software does not verify the identity and the minors may be illegally infringed needs to be solved urgently.
Prosecutors in Feng Miaomiao said that the technologies of uploading ID cards and even face recognition are very mature, which can completely verify identity and shield false information. However, for these software companies, strict identity audit will inevitably cause some users to resist, which will affect the registration and usage of users, and enterprises certainly have no incentive to do substantive audit.
find
Wechat QR code is more dangerous to push friends.
In the interview, the reporter learned that in addition to using mobile APP to make friends, there is also a way of making friends among middle school students — — Friends circle pushes each other, that is, authorizing others to send their photos and WeChat QR codes to friends circle and WeChat group for divergent communication. In this way, children quickly develop "friends" and meet more strangers. Others push each other and even spend some money to let others help them push.
For most adults, WeChat friends are usually family, friends and people who have work contacts and life contacts, and the circle of friends has certain privacy. Except Wechat business and promoters, most people don’t spread their QR codes and open their circle of friends at will.
Minors are keen on this more open and almost undefended way of making friends than adults, and they also put themselves in a very dangerous situation.
In a real case, Tingting, a 14-year-old middle school student, met a girl of the same age in another school in an extra-curricular cram school. When Tingting learned that the other classmate could help push the circle of friends, she also wanted to try this way of making friends out of curiosity.
After being pushed the QR code and photos to the circle of friends in a nine-square grid, there were indeed many more people who took the initiative to chat with Tingting through WeChat. Tingting had a good talk with one of the boys. Although Tingting is strictly controlled by her parents and students are not allowed to use mobile phones at school, Tingting still takes the opportunity to chat with each other. After the first meeting between the two sides, Tingting reported that she was raped by the other side. After investigation, the man often looks for "prey" by adding WeChat friends.
According to the reporter’s understanding, there are far more cases in which minors are invaded by strangers because of WeChat’s mutual promotion of friends.
Even if the age threshold of dating software is in name only, there is still a threshold after all, and WeChat Twitter can be said to be irresponsible. In the police investigation, the middle school student who objectively bridged Tingting’s acquaintance with a strange man said that he was not familiar with both of them, but only vaguely had an impression of helping Tingting push her friends. As for their true identity and surname, who knows nothing. After helping to push friends, she deleted both of them’ WeChat.
This middle school student often helps her peers push friends in their circle of friends. Some people even send her a few dollars red envelope to help her push friends. When the number of friends added by the other party meets the demand, she deletes the information of pushing friends. In this way, she can earn some pocket money.
"This way of making friends seems incredible to adults, but it is very common among students ‘ Market ’ 。” Shi Liang, assistant prosecutor, told reporters that some students are proud of having a large number of WeChat friends and even compare with each other, eager to open their doors to the adult world in this way to show their social skills and personal charm.
Unfortunately, children think this is just a way to meet more friends, but in the eyes of the "hunters" who are waiting for an opportunity, this "open" way of making friends is itself an ambiguous signal.
suggestion
The dating platform should verify the identity essence.
Shi Liang said that many minors’ psychological cognition and physical development are unbalanced. They feel that they have almost the same physique as adults and have gained the ability to enter the adult world. But in fact, their awareness of society, self-prevention awareness and self-protection ability are far from perfect, and they are easily tempted or hurt.
"The Internet has become indispensable in modern society. We can’t hinder social progress because the Internet may harm minors, but we can keep up with relevant supporting measures. In the final analysis, it is still that our adult society did not do its own work, did not establish enough protection mechanisms, and did not do effective education and communication, so that children were exposed to danger. " Shi Liang said.
Prosecutor Feng Miaomiao suggested that the dating platform should be required to carry out substantive identity verification, such as uploading ID cards and face recognition, through administrative mandatory provisions, at least the self-discipline rules of trade associations, and at the same time pay attention to protecting the privacy of minors. This not only protects minors, but also helps to reduce the possibility of other online dating crimes. As an Internet and software enterprise, it should also shoulder social responsibilities, and not turn a blind eye to the possible signs of illegal crimes in order to pursue the number of users and economic benefits. Industry supervision departments should strictly manage, intensify inspection and punishment, and purify the network environment. (Reporter Sun Ying Illustration Feng Chenqing)
(The minors involved in the article are all pseudonyms)
