Video website members expose the fishiness of video website members
'I bought a video member, and there are 15 second movie recommendation advertisements'' some movies, members have to pay extra for watching '' the automatic renewal button is very hidden, and it will automatically open for several months if you are not careful '& hellip& hellip; In the video service activity questionnaire, which was launched by the Zhejiang Consumer Protection Committee, netizens make complaints about the "Tucao mode". Many users who buy members fall into the "pit" where the "gold content" of video members is insufficient and it is difficult to protect consumers' rights and interests.
Exclusive advertising
Form always plays new tricks
'don't I buy members just to block advertising? But after buying members, there are still advertisements in the title and text. " Mr. Li in Shanghai is a 'drama fan'. He wanted to finish the members' practical drama pursuit, but he didn't expect that there was still advertising intrusion.
In fact, although most video websites use the gimmick of "free advertising", "members jump advertising" and "VIP can turn off advertising", they can only avoid or skip the advertising before the main film is broadcast, and can not really "exclude the advertising from the screen".
Some advertisements wear VIP's' vest 'and become' member exclusive '. " After purchasing a member, a VIP exclusive recommendation is inserted at the beginning of the video, which must be closed manually, otherwise it will be played all the time. " Ms. Jia in Heilongjiang is very dissatisfied with iqiyi's video, 'if you can click to close the advertisement, can you call it advertising free?' Moreover, time periods such as' previously on 'and' next issue notice 'have also become the' hardest hit area 'with a flood of advertisements.
An endless stream of 'variants' advertising is even more difficult to prevent. The reporter found through experience that some popular dramas will suddenly play a 'small theater' on the way. This kind of advertisement, which is called "creative insertion" in the industry, is starred by the people of the Central Plains class. On this basis, it has also derived a variety of advertising forms such as' progress bar 'and' screen bar '.
The questionnaire results of Zhejiang Consumer Protection Commission show that 'advertising free' is the main reason for users to buy members, accounting for 83.3%. However, 71.04% of users said that they would often encounter advertisements when watching videos after purchasing members.
The website doesn't look good
Lack of protection of members' rights and interests
If you buy a member, you can't avoid advertising, and you can't 'watch blockbusters at will'. You have to pay extra for good films. Data show that as many as 76.15% of users have encountered the problem of 'members still need to pay to buy'.
"After purchasing members, some films still need to be paid separately." Ms. Gao in Beijing has purchased members of Tencent video and other video websites, but she found that many new and classic films in cinemas need to pay a separate fee to watch, ranging from 1 to 10 yuan.
Sometimes, there are even 'additional terms' for paid movie viewing. " Many film and television resources require users to watch them within 48 hours or a fixed time, and they need to pay again to watch them after they expire. " In this regard, Ms. Gao said, 'this is quite unreasonable. It is equivalent to that I only spent money on browsing rights for a short time.'
The reporter found that in order to induce users to 'automatically renew', some video websites set up a 'cover up' on the purchase page. For example, when you open the Youku Video membership purchase page, the system will check the 'continuous monthly VIP' option by default. The 'non automatic renewal' of Tencent video and iqiyi video is hidden behind the 'automatic renewal' and can only be seen by sliding the option to the right.
Not only that, if member users want to cancel 'automatic renewal', they must also pass through a heavy 'ecstasy array'. Taking Youku as an example, the 'renew now' button on the user's' personal center 'page is very conspicuous, but the' Cancel automatic renewal 'option is missing. After much trouble, the reporter found that the "automatic renewal" opened on the video website can only be cancelled through the corresponding payment platforms such as "wechat payment".
Video sites' don't keep their words' will also make members' dumb '. The hit drama "Heyi Huating" originally promised to update the member exclusive collection of 6 episodes a week, but Youku suddenly said that it only updated 3 episodes a week due to 'media reasons', and then urgently' changed 'to 8 episodes a week..
Service agreement 'leave it alone'
Industry supervision should be strengthened
'advertising free' is not worthy of the name, and there are many traps of 'automatic renewal'. When members watch movies and encounter 'secondary payment', they make a promise but go back on their word & hellip& hellip; The video website has a deep routine because it 'leaves a behind hand' in the member service agreement.
The reporter found that many terms in the video website member service agreement are very overbearing. For example, 'Tencent has the right to modify the terms of service at any time & hellip& hellip; If you continue to use the video service provided by Tencent, you shall be deemed to have accepted all modifications of this Agreement ''iqiyi has the right to unilaterally decide and adjust the content of VIP member services based on its own operation strategy' & hellip& hellip;
Can video websites' do whatever they want 'if they leave sufficient explanation space for themselves in the agreement? Li Weimin, a lawyer of Beijing Weibo law firm, analyzed that most video member service agreements belong to format contracts. According to the provisions of the contract law, if there are provisions in the standard contract that obviously increase the other party's responsibility, reduce and exempt their own responsibility, such provisions shall be deemed invalid and have no legal effect.
Zhang Dezhi, director of the Complaints Department of the China Consumer Association, pointed out that if the video can not be launched as scheduled due to media problems, or even "there is no end", it is obviously a breach of contract. In this case, the video website shall negotiate with consumers to fulfill the contract and compensate in time.
Although the video website has detailed provisions on 'advertising privileges' in the member service agreement, the advertising words such as' member free advertising' can still be regarded as the service commitment made to consumers. Li Weimin believes that if these commitments cannot be fulfilled, the video website will infringe on consumers' right to know, choice and fair transaction, and consumers can receive three times the membership fee.
However, the loss of members' rights and interests is insignificant compared with the cost of rights protection. When the rights and interests of most members are infringed, they have no choice but to complain. In response, Zhang Dezhi said: "the state is vigorously promoting the class action system, and consumer associations are also actively promoting this work. Through class action, the cost of individual rights protection can be reduced and the rights and interests of consumers can be further protected. "
"With a view to the future, relevant departments should strengthen the supervision of video websites, especially in terms of compliance with member agreements, whether the service content is comprehensive and true, and whether the propaganda words are easy to be misunderstood." Qu Xiangdong, lecturer of Law School of Capital University of economics and trade, suggested.