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.
Life Choices: Life Simulator is an addictive and fun interactive simulator game. The game begins with a video back story and from there, players shape the character's destiny based on the choices made. Players will choose from a wide range of characters and assist in challenges, learning new skills as they experience every aspect of life from birth to death. You will respond to questions by choosing one response and it will take you down an alternate path of life. Players will also help restore Unicoville by bringing new residents to town, navigating their lives, and accomplishing goals. In the interim, you will retell a story about whether you chose to restore Unicoville through good or evil. The game has lively 3D visual content and animation that is impressive and intricate. The sound effects and music enhance the game’s atmosphere. The gameplay is child-directed with a mixed audience because it focuses on a simulated life without any mature content.
Advertisements are shown in the bottom banner and throughout the game such as, “TikTok,” which is directed to a general audience. Also, advertisements directed to a mixed audience are shown when making a life choice, for example, “Whiteout Survival.”
Throughout the game, players can earn coins by watching ads. Players use the coins to unlock and purchase items.
There is no age gate verification. It is rated E for Everyone in the Google Play store and 4+ in the iOS store. The app is available to download and use with in-app purchases.
Privacy:
The developer’s privacy policy states, “Our services are designed for individuals who are at least sixteen (16) years old or older...we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under the age of sixteen (16) without parental consent…we may also share, disclose, and transmit personal data with and to third parties.”
Find Pixalate's full catalogue of reviews in our CTV and Mobile App Review Page
Screenshots of Waterpark: Life Choices: Life Simulator
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.
