Lam Wu

Lam Wu

Lam Wu

@Lamwumkt

Jun 10

China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) has moved to crack down on a pervasive mobile advertising practice that has drawn widespread user complaints: splash screen ads that trigger unauthorized redirects simply by shaking a phone or swiping a finger. On May 21, MIIT's Information and Communications Administration Bureau formally flagged 31 apps and SDKs for violating user rights, with the core infractions centered on pop-up windows that redirect users without consent through clicks, swipes, or accidental gestures. The enforcement push was given fresh urgency by China's "618" mid-year shopping festival, during which platforms ramp up aggressive in-app advertising — with some apps deploying hyper-sensitive motion detection so that the slightest phone movement triggers an ad redirect. The named apps represent only a fraction of the problem. Independent testing by media outlets found that widely-used apps including Baidu Netdisk, Ximalaya, Meitu, and Sogou Input all exhibited the same unauthorized redirect behavior on their splash screens. Some apps went further, promoting paid subscription tiers specifically marketed as a way to remove the ads — effectively monetizing a violation as a premium feature. Meitu, for instance, told users they could eliminate splash ads by upgrading to a paid "Pink Diamond" membership — a practice regulators characterized as coercive upselling disguised as a user benefit. User pushback on the "shake-to-redirect" mechanism has been building for years. Jiangsu's Consumer Protection Commission flagged the practice as far back as 2021, noting that overly sensitive motion-triggered redirects effectively strip users of their right to choose — since simply walking, riding transit, or turning around can trigger an ad redirect the user never intended. MIIT convened an emergency meeting on June 9 with major internet platforms and device manufacturers, issuing a blanket prohibition on non-compliant splash screen and pop-up window behavior. Apps that fail to comply face escalating penalties including regulatory interviews, public blacklisting, and removal from app stores. People's Daily backed the crackdown with an editorial calling for liability to extend beyond the apps themselves to the advertisers and ad networks behind the violations. #MIIT #AppAds #SplashScreen #ChinaTech #UserRights #MobileAds #AppRegulation #618Shopping #DigitalRights #ChinaInternet #ConsumerProtection