To fight against underage video game addiction, and stay one step ahead of regulations, Tencent has just implemented facial recognition in its games in China. Any child who tries to play at night will be automatically logged out.
Chinese children will encounter new difficulties for parties nocturnal. The giant Tencent, which holds more than half of the video game market share in the country, has just announced new measures. The firm will now use a system of facial recognition baptized Midnight Patrol (the midnight patrol) directly integrated into its games to prevent minors from connecting to them at night. In a statement on the social network WeChat, Tencent indicates to implement this measure ” so that children can sleep well ».
The Chinese authorities take the video games very seriously. In 2019, the government implemented new regulations prohibiting minors from accessing video games between 10 p.m. and 8 a.m., and limiting their playing time to 90 minutes per day. This measure is ensured by the obligation to use his real identity to be able to connect.
Mandatory facial recognition for any adult who plays at night
However, some children circumvent this prohibition by using the identity of one of their parents or another adult. Tencent will therefore automatically activate the facial recognition for all adult accounts that exceed a certain nightly playtime. Their face is then compared to a database and, if it is a child, access to the account is automatically blocked.
Anyone who refuses the facial recognition will be considered a child, but adults who have their account blocked incorrectly will be able to re-run a facial scan to be properly identified. China is not the only country to impose restrictions on play time children. South Korea also prohibits children from playing between midnight and 6 a.m.
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