Information processing device, information processing system, information processing method, and program

Abstract

Appropriately notify parents that the user has started using the service. [Solution] The information processing device (3) is equipped with a control means (300) that, when receiving a request to use a service from a user, executes a notification process (S108 to S110) to notify the user's guardian that the user will begin using the service if it determines that the user's age is within a predetermined age range.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an information processing device, an information processing system, an information processing method, and a program. [Background technology]

[0002] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses that when a minor attempts to enter into an account transfer contract on his / her own, it is determined whether or not to proceed with the contract processing based on whether or not the information entered by the minor matches the information sent by the minor's guardian. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-222589 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Services provided over the internet include those that are accessed through applications installed on mobile devices such as smartphones, tablet devices, etc. In the technology disclosed in Patent Document 1, a minor who signs an account transfer contract simply requests their guardian to send them account information and authentication information by telephone or the like, and is unable to notify the guardian of the user that the minor user has begun using the service.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned circumstances, and one of its objectives is to provide a technology that can properly notify parents that a user has started using a service. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] An information processing device according to one aspect of the present invention includes a control means that, when it receives a request from a user to use a service, executes a notification process to notify the user's guardian that the user will begin using the service if it determines that the user's age is within a predetermined age range. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the above-described aspect, it is possible to properly notify the guardian that the user has started using the service. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a content providing system according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a user terminal according to the first embodiment. [Figure 3] 3A is a table for explaining an example of region-specific notification age information, and FIG. 3B is a table showing specific examples of notification ages. [Figure 4] FIG. 3 is a sequence diagram illustrating an example of processing performed in the content providing system according to the first embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a diagram (part 1) illustrating an example of a display screen of a user terminal. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a diagram (part 2) illustrating an example of a display screen of a user terminal. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of an email sent to a parent terminal. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a first modified example of a display screen for age verification. [Figure 9] 9A is a diagram for explaining a second modified example of a display screen for age verification, and FIG. 9B is a table illustrating an example of the relationship between button displays and processing contents. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a sequence diagram illustrating a modified example of the processing performed in the content providing system according to the first embodiment. [Figure 11]FIG. 10 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of a content providing system according to a second embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a block diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a user terminal according to the second embodiment. [Figure 13] FIG. 10 is a sequence diagram illustrating an example of processing performed when a user terminal downloads a program in a content providing system according to a second embodiment. [Figure 14] FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of processing performed when a user terminal according to the second embodiment executes a program. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The term "service" used in this specification may refer to a service that provides predetermined content to a user of a user terminal by executing an application program installed on the user terminal. This type of service may be provided using a communication network such as the Internet. Examples of such services include a learning support service using a mobile terminal such as a smartphone or tablet, a video or music distribution service, or an online game. A learning support service may provide content such as an electronic dictionary (Japanese dictionary, English-Japanese dictionary, Japanese-English dictionary, etc.), a scientific calculator, and electronic sticky notes. A service may also refer to the provision (distribution) of an application program that can run on a user terminal as content. A service may also refer to payment of the purchase price or usage fee for content. Furthermore, the term "guardian" used in this specification may refer to a parent, a guardian of a minor, or any other person who has the obligation or is in a position to protect a minor.

[0010] The content providing system 1A according to the first embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1 includes a content providing device 2, a user terminal 3, and an information management device 4, which are communicatively connected via a communication network 5 such as the Internet. The content providing device 2 may be a content server that provides predetermined content to a user of the user terminal 3, and includes a control unit 200, a storage unit 210, and a communication unit 240. The control unit 200 controls the operation of the content providing device 2. The control unit 200 may be a processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) that executes a control program. The storage unit 210 stores, in addition to the control program executed by the processor, an application program 211 to be installed in the user terminal 3, and content 212 to be provided to the user. The storage unit 210 includes a read-only memory (ROM) and a random access memory (RAM) as main storage devices, and may further include auxiliary storage devices such as a hard disk drive (HDD) and a solid state drive (SSD). The communication unit 240 connects the content providing device 2 to the communication network 5 via wired or wireless communication, and communicates with the user terminal 3 and the like via the communication network 5. The communication unit 240 may be any of well-known communication devices capable of transmitting and receiving data in accordance with a communication standard applied to communication with the user terminal 3 and the like via the communication network 5.

[0011] The user terminal 3 is an information processing device that can use content provided by the content providing device 2 by executing an application program downloaded from and installed on the content providing device 2. The user terminal 3 can be, for example, a mobile terminal such as a smartphone or a tablet terminal. The user terminal 3 can also be a stationary (desktop) personal computer or the like. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the user terminal 3 includes a control unit 300, a storage unit 310, an input unit 320, a display unit 330, and a communication unit 340.

[0012] The control unit 300 controls the operation of the user terminal 3. The control unit 300 may be a processor that executes a control program. The storage unit 310 stores, in addition to the control program executed by the processor, an application program 311 for using content, regional information 312, and age information 313. The storage unit 310 includes a ROM and RAM as main storage devices, and may further include auxiliary storage devices such as an HDD and SSD. The input unit 320 accepts input of various information into the user terminal 3 by the user. The display unit 330 displays various information associated with the operation of the user terminal 3. The functions of the input unit 320 and the display unit 330 may be provided, for example, by a touch panel display mounted on a mobile terminal. The input unit 320 may include a camera, a microphone, a device for acquiring location information of the user terminal 3, and the like. The communication unit 340 connects the user terminal 3 to a communication network 5 via wired or wireless communication and communicates with the content providing device 2 and the like via the communication network 5. The communication unit 340 may be any of well-known communication devices capable of transmitting and receiving data in accordance with a communication standard applied to communication with the content providing device 2 and the like via the communication network 5.

[0013] The information management device 4 is an information processing device that manages and provides age information used to determine whether a user of the user terminal 3 needs to notify the user's guardian that the user will use content provided by the content providing device 2. The information management device 4 according to the first embodiment can further notify the guardian of the user of the user terminal 3 that the user will start using content in response to a request from the user terminal 3. The information management device 4 includes a control unit 400, a storage unit 410, and a communication unit 440. The control unit 400 controls the operation of the information management device 4. The control unit 400 may be a processor that executes a control program. The storage unit 410 stores regional notification age information 411 and the like in addition to the control program executed by the processor. The storage unit 410 includes a ROM and a RAM as a main storage device and may further include an auxiliary storage device such as an HDD or SSD. The communication unit 440 connects the information management device 4 to a communication network 5 via wired or wireless communication and communicates with the user terminal 3 and the like via the communication network 5. The communication unit 440 can transmit data that enables the guardian of the user of the user terminal 3 to view the notification using the guardian terminal 6. The communication unit 440 can be any of well-known communication devices that can send and receive data in accordance with a communication standard applied to communication with the user terminal 3 and the like via the communication network 5.

[0014] The region-specific notification age information 411 stored in the storage unit 410 includes, for example, information indicating the age range (notification age) for each country and region of the world at which a user must notify their guardian of their use of content, as shown in FIG. 3A . The “Country / Region Name” in FIG. 3A may be information for identifying the region in which the user will use content. The “Country #1” and “Region #1” in the “Country / Region Name” column may be, for example, nicknames for the country or region in the actual region-specific notification age information 411. The countries and regions corresponding to the country names and region names registered in the “Country / Region Name” column may be geographically independent regions that do not overlap with each other. The age range in the “Notification Age” column in FIG. 3A may be, for example, the age range for which notification to guardians is required by law of the corresponding country or region. A “-” indicates that notification to guardians is not required regardless of age. FIG. 3B illustrates example notification ages for 30 actual countries and regions. In the region-specific notification age information 411, for example, countries and regions that have a common notification age among those that have a notification age set may be grouped together under a name such as "Other." As a specific example, the region-specific notification age information 411 may include information indicating the notification age for each of countries and regions where the notification age is not under 16 and countries and regions where no notification age has been set, as well as information associating the "country / region name" with "Other" and the notification age of "Under 16." In this example, countries such as "America," "Germany," and "Netherlands," which have notification ages under 16 in the table of FIG. 3B, are classified as countries with the country / region name "Other" in the region-specific notification age information 411. This reduces the amount of information in the region-specific notification age information 411, thereby shortening the time required for searching.

[0015] In order to use content provided by the content providing device 2, the user terminal 3 can download an application program 211 from the content providing device 2 and install it in the user terminal 3. The application program 311 illustrated as an example in the user terminal 3 in FIG. 2 may be a program that can be executed to use the content after the application program 211 is installed. In the following description, the application program 311 installed in the user terminal 3 will be referred to as the "program 311." When the user of the user terminal 3 performs an operation on the user terminal 3 to execute (start) the program 311, the user terminal 3 performs the processing illustrated in FIG. 4. The processing of the user terminal 3 illustrated in FIG. 4 is performed mainly by the control unit 300.

[0016] The user terminal 3 first determines whether or not this is the first time the program 311 is being executed on the user terminal 3 (first launch) (step S100). In step S100, the control unit 300 of the user terminal 3 determines that this is the first launch if the initial setting process (steps S101 to S111) required to use content has not been completed. If it is determined that this is not the first launch (step S100; NO), the user terminal 3 skips the processes of steps S101 to S111 and executes the launch process of the program 311 (not shown). If it is determined that this is the first launch (step S100; YES), the user terminal 3 performs the processes from step S101 onwards. The determination in step S100 described above is an example of the process of determining whether or not the user terminal 3 has accepted a content (service) usage request from the user.

[0017] When performing the processing from step S101 onward, the control unit 300 displays a usage area setting screen on the display unit 330 (step S101) and waits for the usage area setting to be confirmed (step S102; NO). As an example, the control unit 300 displays the usage area setting screen 700 shown in FIG. 5 on the display unit 330. The setting screen 700 includes a region display area 701 in which the selected country or region is displayed, a button 702 for transitioning to a usage area selection screen, and a button 703 for completing the usage area setting. The setting screen 700 may also include notes regarding the usage area setting. In the example of the setting screen 700 shown in FIG. 5, the text information on the screen is written in Japanese, but the text information on the setting screen 700 may be written in a language selected by the user, such as English. The same applies to the text information written on the screens in the figures and in the notification email 8 referred to in the following description.

[0018] When the user of the user terminal 3 presses button 702, for example, a region of use selection screen 710 shown in FIG. 5 is displayed on the display unit 330. The selection screen 710 includes a list 711 of settable country and region names and a button 712 for ending region of use selection. The list 711 allows the country and region names displayed on the screen to be changed by scrolling, and one country or region name selected by the user is displayed in a different display format from the other country and region names. The combination of country and region names in the list 711 may be the same as or different from the combination of country and region names in the region-specific notification age information 411 described above. For example, the list 711 may include country and region names classified as "other" in the region-specific notification age information 411. When the user presses button 712, the display screen of the display unit 330 returns to the region of use setting screen 700, and the country or region name selected on the selection screen 710 is displayed in the region display area 701. The user terminal 3 determines that the setting of the area of ​​use is not complete (step S102; NO) until it detects the user pressing the button 703 in the area of ​​use setting screen 700. When it detects the user pressing the button 703 in the area of ​​use setting screen 700, the user terminal 3 determines that the setting of the area of ​​use is complete (step S102; YES), and transmits a message to the information management device 4 inquiring about the age at which notification is required (step S103).

[0019] The message sent in step S103 is not limited to a message in a specific format, as long as the information identifying the user terminal 3 and the information indicating the area of ​​use are written in a format readable by the information management device 4. The information management device 4, which has received the message from the user terminal 3, searches the area-specific notification age information 411 using the information indicating the area of ​​use included in the message as a search key (step S200) and returns the search result to the user terminal 3 (step S201). If a notification age is set for the area of ​​use used as the search key, the information management device 4 returns a message to the user terminal 3 including information indicating the set notification age (for example, "under 16 years old"). If a notification age is not set for the area of ​​use used as the search key (for example, "-" as shown in FIG. 3A), the information management device 4 returns a message to the user terminal 3 including information indicating that a notification age is not set.

[0020] The user terminal 3, which has received the search results from the information management device 4, determines whether or not a notification age setting is available for the set usage area based on the received search results (step S104). If it is determined that a notification age setting is not available (step S104; NO), the user terminal 3 skips steps S105 to S110 and performs the remaining initial setup process (step S111). If it is determined that a notification age setting is available (step S104; YES), the user terminal 3 displays a user age confirmation screen (step S105) and waits for the user age to be confirmed (step S106; NO). As an example, the control unit 300 of the user terminal 3 displays the age confirmation screen 720 shown in FIG. 5 on the display unit 330. The age confirmation screen 720 includes a message informing the user that age confirmation is required and buttons 721 and 722 for age confirmation. If the notification-required age provided from the information management device 4 is under 16 years old, a "16 years old or older" button 721 and a "under 16 years old" button 722 are displayed on the age confirmation screen 720. If the notification-required age is under X years old, which is not under 16 years old, a "X years old or older" button and a "under X years old" button are displayed on the age confirmation screen 720. Until an operation of pressing either button 721 or 722 is detected, the user terminal 3 determines that the user age has not been confirmed (step S106; NO). When an operation of the user pressing either button 721 or 722 on the age confirmation screen 720 is detected, the user terminal 3 determines that the user age has been confirmed (step S106; YES), and determines whether the user age is the notification-required age (step S107).

[0021] In step S107, the control unit 300 of the user terminal 3 determines, for example, whether the detected operation is an operation of pressing the button 722 corresponding to the notification-requiring age. If it is determined that the detected operation is not an operation of pressing the button 722 (step S107; NO), the user terminal 3 skips the processes of steps S108 to S110 and performs the remaining initial setup process (step S111). If it is determined that the detected operation is an operation of pressing the button 722 (step S107; YES), the user terminal 3 displays a guardian address input screen (step S108) and waits for the address to be confirmed (step S109; NO). As an example, the control unit 300 of the user terminal 3 displays a guardian address input screen 730 shown in FIG. 6 on the display unit 330. The guardian address input screen 730 includes a message 731 informing the user that a guardian needs to be notified, a text box 732 for entering an address, and a button 733 for executing the notification. The address entered in the text box 732 may be any information that specifies how the guardian can view the notification using the guardian terminal 6 (see FIG. 1), and may be not only an email address as exemplified in FIG. 6, but also another address or contact such as a telephone number that is used when sending a short message on a mobile terminal. The user terminal 3 determines that the address has not been confirmed until it detects an operation of pressing button 733 on the guardian address entry screen 730 (step S109; NO).

[0022] When the user terminal 3 detects an operation of pressing a button 733 in the guardian address input screen 730, the user terminal 3 determines that the address has been confirmed (step S109; YES) and requests the information management device 4 to send a notification email to the user's guardian (step S110). In step S110, the user terminal 3 sends a notification request to the information management device 4, including the email address entered in the text box 732 as a destination address. Upon receiving the notification request from the user terminal, the information management device 4 uses the destination address included in the received notification request to send an email notifying the guardian of the user of the user terminal 3 that the user will start using content (step S202). The user terminal 3 may also display a push notification in an application in which the address entered in the text box 732 is pre-registered. Although not shown in FIG. 4, after completing the transmission process of the notification email, the information management device 4 sends a message reporting the completion of transmission to the user terminal 3. Upon receiving the report of the completion of transmission, the user terminal 3 displays, for example, a transmission completion screen 740 shown in FIG. 6 on the display unit 330. The transmission completion screen 740 includes a confirmation button 741, and when an operation of pressing the confirmation button 741 is detected, the user terminal 3 performs the remaining initial setting process (step S111).

[0023] In step S202, the information management device 4 sends a notification email 8, for example, as shown in FIG. 7 . The sender address in the notification email 8 may be, for example, a return address for error emails set by the provider of the content provided by the content providing device 2. The body of the notification email 8 includes a message 801 informing the guardian that the content user has designated the guardian, information 802 indicating the URL of the content terms of use, and information 803 indicating the URL for inquiries. By sending such a notification email 8 to the guardian, the guardian of the user (minor) can be informed early that the user will begin using the content, even if the guardian is geographically distant from the user. Furthermore, based on the information contained in the notification email 8, the guardian can use the guardian terminal 6 to check the type of content the user will use and the terms of use of the content. This allows the guardian to take measures such as restricting the use of content that is not desirable for the user. Note that the notification email 8 in FIG. 7 is merely an example of a means for notifying the guardian of the user that the user will begin using content. The notification from the information management device 4 to the guardian is not limited to a specific format as long as the guardian is aware that the user has started using the content.

[0024] In the process described above with reference to FIG. 4, when the user of the user terminal 3 operates the user terminal 3 to set the region in which content is to be used, the user terminal 3 inquires of the information management device 4 about the age at which the user's guardian needs to be notified in the set region of use, and confirms the user's age. If the user is of an age at which the guardian needs to be notified, the user terminal 3 requests the information management device 4 to send a notification email 8 or the like to the guardian using the address (contact information) entered by the user. In other words, when the user terminal 3 receives a content use request from the user and determines that the user's age is within the notification age range, the user terminal 3 executes a notification process (S108 to S110) to notify the user's guardian that the user will start using the content. Note that the notification process performed by the user terminal 3 is intended to request the information management device 4 to notify the user's guardian, as described above. Cooperation between the user terminal 3 and the information management device 4 in this way allows the guardian to be appropriately notified that the user has started using the content (service). In other words, the content provision system 1A can reliably assist the user in performing technical tasks (appropriately notifying parents that the user has started using the service) through a user-machine interaction process.

[0025] The user terminal 3 according to the first embodiment is an example of an information processing device that, when receiving a content usage request from a user, performs a notification process for notifying the user's guardian that the user will start using the content if the user's age is within a predetermined age range. The notification process performed by the user terminal 3 as an information processing device is not limited to the process described above with reference to FIGS. 4 to 7. The display screen displayed on the display unit 330 when the user terminal 3 performs the notification process, and the user's operation corresponding to the display screen, can be changed as appropriate. For example, the region in which the user uses the content may be set based on location information of the user terminal 3 detected by the user terminal 3 using a global positioning system (GPS) or the like. Information input by the input unit 320 for selecting the usage region, confirming the user's age, entering the guardian's contact information (address), etc. is not limited to input using a hardware keyboard or a software keyboard, and may also be voice input, image input, etc.

[0026] 4, the control unit 300 of the user terminal 3 may display an age confirmation screen 750A that prompts the user to input their age into a text box 751, as illustrated in FIG. 8. When the user of the user terminal 3 performs an operation to input their age into the text box 751, the control unit 300 changes the screen displayed on the display unit 330 to an age confirmation screen 750B that includes an input pad 753 that accepts an operation to input their age. After pressing the number buttons on the input pad 753 to input their age, pressing "Complete" displayed in the upper right corner of the input pad 753 completes the input of the user's age, and the age confirmation screen 750A that includes a confirmation button 752 is displayed. When the confirmation button 752 is pressed, the control unit 300 determines whether the input age is less than the minimum value of the age range for which notification to a guardian is not required, which is specified based on the notification-requiring age acquired from the information management device 4. If it is determined that the input age is less than the minimum value, the user terminal 3 performs the processes of steps S108 to S110 of FIG. 4. By using such an age verification method, it is possible to prevent a situation in which a notification email that should be sent from the information management device 4 to the guardian is not sent due to pressing the wrong button, etc. The method by which the user inputs the age (numerical value) is not limited to operating the input pad 753, but may also be, for example, a method in which the user selects from a plurality of consecutive integers displayed in a pull-down menu. Furthermore, the user's age is not limited to a numerical value indicating the age input or selected by the user, but may also be, for example, a numerical value derived based on the date of birth input by the user and the date of the processing.

[0027] Furthermore, in step S100 of FIG. 4, the user terminal 3 according to the first embodiment may determine whether a content usage request has been received from the user (step S100; YES) or whether a content usage request has not been received from the user (step S100; NO), instead of determining whether this is the first time the user terminal 3 has been started. For example, the program 311 executed by the user terminal 3 may be content executed on a web browser, and the content usage request may be, for example, a process of accessing a website that provides the content using the web browser and registering the content usage, which is performed on the web browser. In this example, if the user terminal 3 determines that a content usage request has not been received from the user (step S100; NO), the user terminal 3 does not perform step S111 of FIG. 4 or other processes related to content usage. In other words, steps S100 and S111 of FIG. 4 are optional processing steps, and the control unit 300 of the user terminal 3 may perform steps S101 to S110 of FIG. 4 when a content usage request has been received from the user.

[0028] In addition, the content provided by the content providing device 2 may be restricted by the available age. When there is a restriction on the available age, in step S105 of FIG. 4, the control unit 300 of the user terminal 3 may display an age confirmation screen 760 as illustrated in FIG. 9A, which can also confirm whether the user is of an age at which the content can be used. The age confirmation screen 760 in FIG. 9A is an example of an age confirmation screen when the magnitude relationship between the minimum value X of the age range for which notification to the guardian is unnecessary and the minimum value Y of the age range in which the content can be used is Y < X. When Y < X, on the display unit 330, an age confirmation screen 760 including three buttons 761, 762, and 763 with different age ranges is displayed according to the table illustrated in FIG. 9B. When X = 16 and Y = 13, if the user is 16 years old or older, the content can be used and notification to the guardian is unnecessary. When the user is 13 years old or older and under 16 years old, the content can be used and notification to the guardian is necessary. When the user is under 13 years old, the content cannot be used. On the other hand, when Y = X or Y > X, if the user's age is Y years old or older, the content can be used without notifying the guardian, and if the user's age is less than Y years old, the content cannot be used regardless of whether notification to the guardian is necessary. Therefore, on the display unit 330, an age confirmation screen 760 including a button for "Y years old or older" and a button for "less than Y years old" is displayed according to the table illustrated in FIG. 9B. Thus, by displaying the age confirmation screen 760 that can also confirm whether the user is of an age at which the content can be used, it is possible to determine whether the content can be used and whether it is necessary to send a notification email to the guardian by operating one age confirmation screen 760.

[0029] When confirming the user's age using the age confirmation screen 760 described above with reference to FIGS. 9A and 9B, the user terminal 3 can perform the processing illustrated in FIG. 10. In FIG. 10, steps S100 to S102 illustrated in FIG. 4 are omitted from the processing of the user terminal 3. In the processing of the user terminal 3 illustrated in FIG. 10, the processing of step S105 illustrated in FIG. 4 is changed to processing (step S121) in which the age confirmation screen 760, which includes confirmation of whether the user is old enough to use the content, is displayed on the display unit 330. Furthermore, in the processing illustrated in FIG. 10, after the user performs an operation on the age confirmation screen 760 to confirm the user's age, the user terminal 3 determines whether the user is old enough to use the content (step S122). If it is determined that the user is old enough to use the content (step S122; YES), the user terminal 3 performs the processing of step S107 and subsequent steps. If it is determined that the user is not old enough to use the content (step S122), the user terminal 3 displays a screen on the display unit 330 notifying the user that the content is not available (step S123), and terminates processing for the user's request to use the content.

[0030] Furthermore, in the content providing system 1A according to the first embodiment, the information management device 4 is an example of a server including a storage unit that stores, for each region where content is used, an age range used to determine whether or not to notify a guardian that a user is about to start using the content. That is, the user terminal 3 and the information management device 4 in the content providing system 1A according to the first embodiment are an example of an information processing system that controls a process for notifying a guardian that a user of the user terminal 3 is about to start using content. The process in the information processing system, such as the data format of the region-specific notification age information 411 stored in the storage unit (storage unit 410) of the information management device 4 and the method of providing the notification age to the user terminal 3, can be changed as appropriate. For example, in the information processing system in the content providing system 1 according to the first embodiment, the user terminal 3 may perform the process illustrated in FIG. 4 or 10 when the program 311 executed by the user terminal 3 is updated or when the notification age range is changed for any of the countries and regions included in the region-specific notification age information 411. Furthermore, the information processing system that controls the process for notifying a guardian that a user will start using content may be a system in which the content providing device 2 performs the process that has been described in the first embodiment as being performed by the information management device 4. Furthermore, the user terminal 3 that executes the process for notifying a guardian that a user will start using content may perform a search for the notification age in the region where the content is to be used, using the region-specific notification age information 411.

[0031] FIG. 11 illustrates a content providing system 1B according to the second embodiment. The content providing system 1B includes a content providing device 2, a user terminal 3, and an information management device 4. The content providing device 2 in the content providing system 1B stores, in a storage unit 210, a program 211, content 212, and region-specific age information 213 that must be notified. The region-specific age information 213 may be information acquired from the information management device 4 or may be information created by a provider of the content provided by the content providing device 2. In the content providing system 1B, for example, as shown in FIG. 13, when the content providing device 2 transmits (distributes) the program 211 to the user terminal 3 in response to a program download request from the user terminal 3 (step S130), the content providing device 2 transmits the region-specific age information 213 that must be notified to the user terminal 3 together with the program 211 (step S230). The user terminal 3 that receives the program 211 and the region-specific age information 213 stores them in a storage unit 310. The storage unit 310 of the user terminal 3 that has executed and installed the program 211 stores the installed program 311 and area-specific age information 214 requiring notification, as illustrated in Fig. 12. Note that the area-specific age information 214 requiring notification may be transmitted to the user terminal 3 as part of the program 211, instead of being transmitted to the user terminal 3 as data separate from the program 211.

[0032] As described above, in the content providing system 1B according to the second embodiment, the storage unit 310 of the user terminal 3 that executes the program 311 for using content stores the region-specific notification age information 314. Therefore, when executing the program 311, the user terminal 3 according to the second embodiment can perform the process illustrated in FIG. 14. In the process of the user terminal 3 illustrated in FIG. 14, the process of inquiring about the notification age of the information management device 4 in step S103 illustrated in FIG. 4 is changed to a process of searching for the region-specific notification age information 314 stored in the storage unit 310 of the user terminal 3 (step S125). Furthermore, in step S110 illustrated in FIG. 14 (process of requesting transmission of a notification to the user's guardian), the user terminal 3 transmits a notification request including the guardian's address to the content providing device 2. Note that steps S100 and S111 in FIG. 14 are optional processes. As described in the first embodiment, the user terminal 3 according to the second embodiment may perform the processes of steps S101 to S110 in Fig. 14 when it receives a content usage request from a user. Also in the second embodiment, the program 311 executed by the user terminal 3 may be content executed on a web browser, and the content usage request may involve accessing a website that provides the content using the web browser and registering the content for usage, which is performed on the web browser.

[0033] The above-described embodiment is a specific example for facilitating understanding of the invention, and the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment. The information processing device, information processing system, information processing method, and program can be modified and changed in various ways without departing from the scope of the claims. For example, in the first embodiment, the server that stores the region-specific notification age information 411 for providing the notification age to the user terminal 3 is not limited to the information management device 4 provided separately from the content providing device 2, but may be the content providing device 2. [Explanation of symbols]

[0034] 2...Content providing device, 3...User terminal, 4...Information management device, 6...Parent terminal, 200, 300, 400...Control unit, 210, 310, 410...Storage unit, 240, 340, 440...Communication unit, 212...Content, 213, 314, 411...Age information to be notified by region, 700...Usage region setting screen, 720, 750A, 750B, 760...Age confirmation screen, 721, 722, 761 to 763...Buttons, 730...Parent address input screen, 8...Notification email

Claims

1. a control means for executing a notification process to notify a guardian of the user that the user will start using the service when the age of the user is determined to be within a predetermined age range upon receiving a request to use the service from the user; An information processing device comprising:

2. The control means determines whether the age of the user is within the predetermined age range based on an age range indicating whether the notification process is required and associated with an area where the user uses the service.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

3. Further comprising an input means and a display means, When the control means receives a request to use the service from the user, displaying on the display means a first button including information associated with being within the predetermined age range and a second button including information associated with being outside the predetermined age range; executing the notification process when it is detected by the input means that the user has selected the first button; 3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the information processing apparatus is a computer.

4. The control means causes the display means to display the first button and the second button such that a combination of the information included in the first button and the information included in the second button is different when a first region is selected as the region where the user will use the service and a second region is selected, the age range of which is different from that of the first region and indicates whether the notification process is required.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3,

5. In the notification process, the control means receives input of contact information for the parent of the user via the input means, and notifies the contact information that the user has started using the service.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3,

6. The control means executes the notification process when it determines that the user is of an age that allows them to use the service and that the user's age is within a predetermined age range based on the age range indicating whether the notification process is required.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein:

7. a storage means for storing area-specific age information in which the age range indicating whether the notification process is required is associated with each area that can be set as the area where the service is used, When the control means receives a request to use the service from the user, Identifying the area where the user uses the service, acquiring the age range indicating whether the notification process is required and associated with the identified area from the area-specific age information, and determining whether the age of the user is within the predetermined age range.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein:

8. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the notification process executed by the control means includes a process of requesting an external device communicating with the information processing apparatus to notify the guardian.

9. a control means for executing a notification process to notify a guardian of the user that the user will start using the service when the control means determines that the age of the user is within a predetermined age range upon receiving a request to use the service from the user; an information processing device including a communication means; a storage means for storing area-specific age information in which the age range indicating whether the notification process is required is associated with each area that can be set as the area where the service is used; and a server including a communication means capable of communicating with the communication means of the information processing device; Including, When a request for use of the service is received from the user, the control means of the information processing device Identifying the area in which the user uses the service; acquiring the age range indicating whether the notification process is necessary or not, associated with the identified area, from the server via the communication means of the information processing device; determining whether the age of the user is within the predetermined age range based on the acquired age range indicating whether the notification process is required; The server further includes a control means for executing a process of acquiring, in response to a request from the information processing device, the age range indicating whether the notification process is necessary or not, which is associated with the area specified by the control means of the communication control device, from the area-specific age information stored in the storage unit, and returning the acquired age range to the information processing device via the communication means of the server. An information processing system comprising:

10. The notification process executed by the control means of the information processing device includes: obtaining information indicating a destination for sending a notification to the parent of the user; transmitting a notification request including the acquired information indicating a destination of the notification to the server via the communication means of the information processing device; The control means of the server notifies the guardian based on the information indicating the destination of the notification included in the notification request from the information processing device. The information processing system according to claim 9 .

11. The computer of the information processing device When a request for use of a service from a user is received, if it is determined that the age of the user is within a predetermined age range, a notification process is executed to notify the parent or guardian of the user that the user will start using the service.

1. An information processing method comprising:

12. The computer of the information processing device When a request for use of a service from a user is received, if it is determined that the age of the user is within a predetermined age range, a notification process is executed to notify the parent or guardian of the user that the user will start using the service. A program characterized by:

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