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.
Wonka’s World of Candy Match 3’s gameplay is based on matching three or more of the same color tiles. The goal of the game is to prepare for re-opening by completing puzzles as players are guided by Willy Wonka to restore his factory that was neglected while he was on vacation. Players must complete a goal such as collecting specific candies in the puzzle before running out of moves. Playing match 3 games will allow players to progress through the factory, unlock previously undiscovered rooms, and obtain power-ups to help precise levels. The visual content is very detailed with colorful graphics. The lively animation has a vibrant 3D effect with detailed Willy Wonka characters that move in the background complementing the overall game. The music and sounds are whimsical and similar to musical-themed songs throughout. The game is directed to a mixed audience with fantastical animations that live in a made-up world that makes the game perfect for young players.
Players complete puzzles to earn stars which can be used to purchase upgrades and items for the factory and complete tasks required to restore the factory. Players will earn coins after completing puzzle games which can be used on extra moves.
There is no age gate. The app does have in-app purchasing to enhance the gaming experience. It is rated E for Everyone in the Google Play store and 4+ in the iOS store.
Privacy:
The developer’s privacy policy states, “We direct our services to a general audience and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13 years old...we may direct certain services to an audience of all ages- –including children…we collect information you directly provide to us…we share your information with..advertising service providers and partners, vendors, Take-Two group members, and other third parties.”
Find Pixalate's full catalogue of reviews in our CTV and Mobile App Review Page
Screenshots of Wonka's World of Candy Match 3
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.
