element-android
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Play Store Age restriction
Your use case
What would you like to do?
I'm trying to set up a Tablet for my child and want to install Element app for him. I "secure" this with Family link for Child protection. Therefore, the age restriction of 18 years in the play store is causing issues. I'm unable to install element in the child's account
Why would you like to do it?
I would like to take advantage of all the age safety measures Family link provides, but also use Element with my child. Hence I have to use the correct age.
How would you like to achieve it?
I dont't see why element is restricted above 18 year. No other messenger Whatsapp Threema ... seems to have this restriction.
Have you considered any alternatives?
No response
Additional context
No response
Element can give access to content for adults only, that's why on some countries the Google PlayStore requires that the user's age is above 18.
2 possible alternatives:
- install Element by downloading the APK from the GitHub release: https://github.com/vector-im/element-android/releases, but with the limitation that you will not get the updates automatically.
- install the F-Droid version from https://f-droid.org/packages/im.vector.app/, I do not think there is age limitation there (not 100% sure though). This version does not use Push so can consume more battery, but for the rest this is the same app.
I also tried F-Droid, but this seems not to work.
The GitHub apk did the trick. Thanks
But still I think it's the wrong sign to send for a messenger app. This also means that element/matrix will never be a solution for e.g. a school. Which, I think, should be possible.
I see your point but Element can't do anything about this, other than releasing an app only for children with content scanning. I read somewhere that this is on their list. So I suggest to close this issue as it has nothing to do with the Android Team themselves.
@kojid0 thanks for the explanation. Could you point me to where you think you read, or where I can start searching?
Could anyone point me to where this age restriction is defined or where it is applied (app store release process)?
To understand, this "content scanning" would have to be performed by the app itself? I'm not aware of any other messenger doing such a thing.
@bmarty:
Is this a decision from element with the access to adult content? I was just looking at other apps in the playstore: Messenger: Whatsapp, Threem, Signal - every age, Telegram: 17 Browser: firefox, edge, chrome (definitively access to adult content possible) - every age other: tiktok 13, snapchat 13, instagram 13 Facebook (meta): Messenger - every age, instagramm 13, facebook 13
As in Germany there seems to be pushback for Microsoft solutions in the school usage coming, at least the state I live in Baden-Württemberg, I would see matrix/element as an alternative
I would like to help on this issue, so any hint to where read, or whom to talk to is very much welcome.
Could you point me to where you think you read, or where I can start searching?
Content Scanning (no definition what this is for) is on their public roadmap: https://github.com/vector-im/roadmap/projects/1#card-49300883
Could anyone point me to where this age restriction is defined or where it is applied (app store release process)?
Maybe this helps: https://support.google.com/googleplay/android-developer/answer/9859655?hl=en
To understand, this "content scanning" would have to be performed by the app itself? I'm not aware of any other messenger doing such a thing.
I don't know. Just speculations.
Forked versions do not have an age restriction in Germany. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=im.synod https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=de.spiritcroc.riotx
@bmarty
I would like to request a reevaluation of this.
According to this official info from Google Play Store... Update: It's not really clear to me who exactly does the rating, but the rating is derived from answers that the developers give, so if someone else is doing the rating here, something clearly went wrong when you answered certain questions.
Age restrictions are not for what could possibly be included in an app, age restrictions are for apps which really actually include specific content like violence etc.
As it was already pointed out even Firefox etc. are rated for all ages, even though you can clearly use it to browse the whole internet. And I don't see a natively implemented content restriction option (e.g. for kids) in Firefox, so the lack of this feature in Element can't be the reason.
I would like to suggest giving this app at least a much lower rating, so an installation without needing a specific adult verification process (for 18+ apps) (necessary in germany for example) is made possible.
Some suggestions regarding this:
- PEGI offers an "PARENTAL GUIDANCE RECOMMENDED" tag, which is exactly what could be used here
- USK has the following description for "All ages":
For instance, utility programs, product catalogues or tool apps fall into this category as well as social networks in which all user-generated content is being thoroughly reviewed, filtered or moderated.So Element should be rated as a tool or utility progam, not as a social network.
You could request a revision.
Following here... Tried to install my child Element to replace WhatsApp... WhatsApp work, Element not because of age restriction...
I have installed Element on my daughter's phone, she has PEGI12 restriction on her account (set through Family Link) and I had to approve the installation as a parent. This was around start of August 2023, I had no issues.
Now her classmates wanted to get in contact with her and they can't install, actually even find (I can if I use the exact full name), Element in Google Play because it got rated PEGI18 as it contains (and this is directly from Google Play page) "extreme violence". It can't be installed on the phone even if I remove restrictions set by Family Link and I approve the install as a parent - it says this app can't be installed on the account of someone under 18 years. Yet my daughter has this very app installed. So it seems it was rated below PEGI18 (haven't checked back then when I installed it) and got re-rated in the august/september.
If somebody who can do it reads this - please go through the evaluation once again to de-restrict it.
As others pointed out - web browsers that allows you (and kids) to browse the whole internet are PEGI3, there is absolutely no reason for Element to be PEGI18.
If I can help by any means, let me know. Even if it is as small as writing my own perspective of the app to Google or if there is some way to appeal the rating as ordinary user. Just let me know how and I will happily do that.
For now I can sideload Element either directly from here or via F-Droid. Does F-Droid still lack Push (as mentioned here in this thread)? I installed it from F-Droid on another device to test it and it got picked up by Google Play (uninstall and open buttons are present in Google Play) - will Google Play update it?
i ended up in this issue trying to report the obviously erroneous age rating that element android currently has. it is set at pegi 18, and the description says:
Extreme Violence Users Interact, Shares Location
i think this is clearly wrong (especially when compared to other messaging apps). i suspect that this may be a result of sabotage to harm element’s reputation.
for comparison, here is the current rating of other popular messaging apps:
- whatsapp: pegi 3
- snapchat: parental guidance
- telegram: parental guidance
- messenger: parental guidance
- discord: parental guidance
- signal: pegi 3
- google chat: pegi 3
- skype: parental guidance
- slack: pegi 3
- teams: pegi 3
- instagram: parental guidance
could someone align the current rating to pegi 3 (like whatsapp and signal), or at least parental guidance?
Yes, it seems a bit like someone believe that Element is serious contender against the established apps.
Oh, ffs. Just bumbed into this. Was going to ditch FluffyCat on kid's phone but no it's not possible.
