Welcome to Pixalate’s CTV & Mobile App Manual Reviews According to COPPA, a series containing the detailed factors the Trust & Safety Advisory Board educators used to assess an app’s child-directedness.
The educators manually review thousands of mobile apps available in the Google Play & Apple App Stores as well as connected TV (CTV) apps from the Roku Channel Store and Amazon Fire TV App Store using the COPPA Rule factors shown below & make those results available to the public at ratings.pixalate.com.
This post takes a look at a popular mobile app (1 million+ downloads) from the Google Play Store & Apple App Store. Our reviewer discusses how the subjective factors set forth in the COPPA Rule apply to the app and factor into the reviewer's determination as to whether the app is child-directed or general audience (i.e., it is not targeting children).
The teacher will indicate the factors they relied upon in their assessment using the 10 factors shown below that reflect the 10 child-directed factors in the COPPA Rule.
Escape Room: Mystery Word is a game where players have to solve word puzzles to get out of unfamiliar rooms, use clues, and move to different levels. In this addictive gameplay, players have to go through 240+ levels to test their observational skills and locate useful objects to escape. Players need to figure out the word that allows the locked door to open and move to the next level after carefully examining items in the room. The visual content and animation have simple cartoon graphics. The language in the app says,” suitable for both kids and adults…free for all users,” which shows that it is directed to a mixed audience. It is a safe puzzle adventure game suitable for all ages however, it is best for those with an understanding of word games. The game allows users to develop their analytical reasoning through an enjoyable leisure game.
In order to get hints players can collect gold coins by watching an advertisement for free. Ads such as, “Solitaire Clash and Rocket Money,” are played and directed to a general audience.
There is no age gate verification. It is rated E for Everyone in the Google Play store and 12+ in the iOS store. The app is available to download and use with in-app purchases.
Privacy:
The developer’s privacy policy states, “If you are under the age of 13, you must not use our services. If you are between the ages of 13 and 18 (or the relevant age in your jurisdiction where you are considered a minor), your parent or guardian must agree to these terms...before you can use our service…The use of our Service may involve the collection and use of your information on Our Service.”
Find Pixalate's full catalogue of reviews in our CTV and Mobile App Review Page
Screenshots of Escape Room: Mystery Word
Pixalate’s Trust and Safety Advisory Board was created to bring in individuals with experience using child-directed apps in the classroom to review and assess which apps are child-directed. This manual review process serves to quality check Pixalate’s automated review process. See our full methodology for more information.
Disclaimer
This blog post published by Pixalate is available for informational purposes only and is not considered legal advice. By viewing this blog post, the reader understands and agrees that there is no attorney-client relationship between the reader and the blog publisher. The blog should not be used as a substitute for legal advice from a licensed professional attorney in the applicable jurisdiction(s), and readers are urged to consult their own legal counsel on any specific legal questions concerning any specific situation. The content of this blog post reflects Pixalate's opinions with respect to factors that Pixalate believes may be useful to the digital media industry. Pixalate's opinions are just that, opinions, which means that they are neither facts nor guarantees; and this blog post is not intended to impugn the standing or reputation of any entity, person or app, but instead, to report findings pertaining to mobile and Connected TV (CTV) apps.
