Summary of the Main Content
This report exposes the truth behind the exploitative gray market that targets elderly internet users with pop-up ads: There are currently 173 million internet users in China who are over 60 years old. From the common elderly who have difficulty seeing the close buttons for pop-ups to visually impaired users who can't find them at all, to budget phones pre-installed with a bunch of malicious software, and even WeChat private groups that bombard users 24/7, elderly people's phones have become a "free traffic farm" for businesses to exploit with almost no barriers. The most absurd part is that the technology to block pop-ups is already fully developed; the real issue is not a technical one. Instead, the entire chain—from app developers, advertising platforms, to phone manufacturers—relies on pop-ups for profits. Coupled with fines of up to 30,000 yuan and daily ad revenues in the hundreds of thousands, the incentive to comply with regulations is much lower than the potential profit, leading to the absurd situation where elderly people's phones have become breeding grounds for ads.
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Detailed Analysis
1. Pop-ups targeting the elderly are not just random acts of misconduct; they are carefully designed "traps"
Many people think that the inability to close pop-ups is due to programmer negligence, but in reality, this tactic is tailored to the physiological characteristics and usage habits of the elderly:
- For visually impaired users, the close button on pop-ups doesn't have a recognizable text label, and screen readers simply read it as "image," making it impossible to locate.
- Once the system identifies that the user is elderly, it automatically adjusts the page layout, placing the most conspicuous buttons for offers like "getting free eggs" or "cleaning memory." The actual close button becomes tiny and semi-transparent, hidden in a corner, waiting for users to make a mistake.
- The exploitation doesn't stop within apps; businesses also take advantage of WeChat's feature that allows groups to be created without user confirmation, dragging 88-year-old retirees into 1,900 marketing groups and accumulating 770,000 unread messages. Even after they leave the groups, they are pulled back in, with ads infiltrating their social circles, leaving the elderly with no way to escape.
2. The profit-sharing rules for this entire chain are in place even for accidental clicks
Don't think that accidental clicks are insignificant. The moment an elderly person touches the screen, money is automatically distributed among various parties:
- The pricing for pop-up ads is meticulous: For every 1,000 times an ad is displayed and seen, the platform earns 5 yuan; whether the user really intends to click or just makes a mistake, each click generates 0.1 to 0.3 yuan in revenue.
- If the user downloads the app or links their bank card for verification, the profit can reach 30 to 50 yuan per click. Leading apps can earn tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands from pop-ups alone. The 173 million elderly users, with little experience in avoiding scams, are seen as a low-cost source of traffic.
- For example, an 85-year-old man in Wenzhou tried to close a pop-up and accidentally triggered a payment, losing over 4,800 yuan. He was confused: "I didn't do anything, so how did the money go away?" In reality, the app developer, advertising alliance, and health product/financial services advertisers all benefited from his click.
3. The most outrageous fact: Those who could block pop-ups rely on them for their income
Many wonder why free ad-blocking plugins don't work on phones. The reason is simple: those in charge don't want to stop these ads.
- Phones are becoming cheaper, with hardware profit margins of less than 5% for many brands. For a 1,000 yuan phone, the manufacturer might only make a few dozen yuan, so they no longer rely on hardware sales. Pop-up ads and pre-installed software are the real moneymakers.
- Leading phone manufacturers earned 24.7 billion yuan from ads in 2024 and expect to grow to 28.5 billion yuan in 2025. Unlisted Android manufacturers also earn billions from ads alone. They are both the "athletes" who make the phones and the "referees" who set the ad rules. If they were to block all pop-ups, it would harm their revenue. Third-party security apps, which don't have the necessary system permissions, can't even access the ads, let alone block them.
4. The fines are negligible compared to the profits
Fines of up to 30,000 yuan are trivial compared to the millions earned from pop-ups in just one hour. Businesses see little risk in exploiting the elderly. Current regulations allow for a maximum fine of 30,000 yuan for not correcting the issue. Compared to the millions earned from ads, this fine is like losing 50 yuan from a day's business. It's cheaper to pay the fine and continue making money.
- Previous efforts to make apps more user-friendly for the elderly, such as larger fonts, were merely superficial. All necessary ads are still there, and the close buttons are still hidden. In essence, everyone in the chain benefits from the pop-up ads, with only the elderly suffering. No one wants to be the "bad guy" and cut off this profit source, leading to the current situation where elderly phones are flooded with ads.
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This analysis provides a clear and detailed look at the exploitative practices targeting elderly internet users, highlighting the systemic issues and the lack of regulation to protect their rights.