Age Verification Method Alternative

The Social Security number (SSN) was originally devised to keep an accurate record of each individual’s earnings, and to subsequently monitor benefits paid under the Social Security program. However, use of the SSN as a general identifier has grown to the point where it is the most commonly used and convenient identifier for all types of record-keeping systems in the United States.

Specific laws require a person to provide his/her SSN for certain purposes. While we cannot give you a comprehensive list of all situations where an SSN might be required or requested, an SSN is required/requested by:

* Internal Revenue Service for tax returns and federal loans
* Employers for wage and tax reporting purposes
* States for the school lunch program
* Banks for monetary transactions
* Veterans Administration as a hospital admission number
* Department of Labor for workers’ compensation
* Department of Education for Student Loans
* States to administer any tax, general public assistance, motor vehicle or drivers license law within its jurisdiction
* States for child support enforcement
* States for commercial driver’s licenses
* States for Food Stamps
* States for Medicaid
* States for Unemployment Compensation
* States for Temporary Assistance to Needy Families
* U.S. Treasury for U.S. Savings Bonds

The Privacy Act regulates the use of SSNs by government agencies. When a Federal, State, or local government agency asks an individual to disclose his or her Social Security number, the Privacy Act requires the agency to inform the person of the following: the statutory or other authority for requesting the information; whether disclosure is mandatory or voluntary; what uses will be made of the information; and the consequences, if any, of failure to provide the information.

If a business or other enterprise asks you for your SSN, you can refuse to give it. However, that may mean doing without the purchase or service for which your number was requested. For example, utility companies and other services ask for a Social Security number, but do not need it; they can do a credit check or identify the person in their records by alternative means.

Giving your number is voluntary, even when you are asked for the number directly. If requested, you should ask why your number is needed, how your number will be used, what law requires you to give your number and what the consequences are if you refuse. The answers to these questions can help you decide if you want to give your Social Security number. The decision is yours.

http://ssa-custhelp.ssa.gov/cgi-bin/ssa.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=78&p_created=955482891&p_sid=4Vd21RBi&p_accessibility=0&p_lva=&p_sp=cF9zcmNoPTEmcF9zb3J0X2J5PSZwX2dyaWRzb3J0PSZwX3Jvd19jbnQ9MSZwX3Byb2RzPSZwX2NhdHM9MTYsMzUmcF9wdj0mcF9jdj0yLjM1JnBfc2VhcmNoX3R5cGU9YW5zd2Vycy5zZWFyY2hfbmwmcF9wYWdlPTEmcF9zZWFyY2hfdGV4dD1wcml2YWN5&p_li=&p_topview=1
httP://USA.gov website

Personal Commentary

Considering that Second Life is a global venue for gamers, there are many laws regarding jurisdiction. Offering a credit check will also provide the same means of verification as would asking for a driver's lisence (which most older lisences still have the SSNs listed as the driver's lisence number). Also for those not in the Social Security System or registered with the RMV, illegal aliens, etc. if the credit card information is stolen that is being used with Linden Labs, the chances that internet fraud has not been detected is great. A stolen identity entails more than a credit card number. It is not Linden Labs mission to seek these people out, as it shouldn't be.
Passports and driver's lisences contain very sensitive information. It is in most states written law that a health insurance company cannot display or provide your number to a third party. But this is not a health insurance company. It is a game. Given that the venue is voluntary, a lighter approach such as a simple credit check would be sufficiant? If a teen cannot provide a valid identification, it reads that they will be prohibited from entering mature simulators. But wait... if the teen is on the adult grid, they are violating Linden Lab policy. If the two grids are not merging as one, why has this precaution been put in place? Who's to say that a teen would not send his/hers parent's drivers lisence information to match the credit card that they are using? Just a few questions that I have about this upcoming policy. Also for the United States Residents that fall under the said criteria, when will we receive a detailed account of who this third party age verification company is, what they will do with this information, the precautions they are taking, and the liability for misuse?
If all of these issues were made clear to me, I have no problem verifying my identity. Until they are, I would propose a simple credit check, as do major creditors before they consider you as an account holder. Visa has asked for my social security number, once... but they did not charge me to review my history. Applying for a visa card is also voluntary. So Lindens, when will your customers receive the information they need to make the decision to continue doing business with you? It may not be a legal requirement but it is a moral one. If age verification protects teens, then you must also be interested in protecting the of-age consumer whom makes your business thrive. I will be waiting for my information.

p.s. *whispers* "Credit check... will give you a large percentage of the verification you need, and keep the existing, of legal age population doing business with you. Does it cost you to run a credit check? Is there a pending liability lawsuit regarding this issue that you have not posted? Why this method? ..."

Equifax www.equifax.com
Experian www.Experian.com
TransUnion www.transunion.com
(Credit reporting agencies with valuable information on what is required of creditors, agencies and lendees. They are very thorough.)

Asking for payment info on file will most likely weed out underage users, and cost you less in red tape. You will already be charging all accounts to do this, so why not protect us better, lessen your cost and give the customer what we originally agreed to pay for?

Of course the funny thing is that in that great big list the one place where proof ogf age and identity is not required is when having actual flesh and bone sex dispite how many minors can easily disguise themselves as older.

People are so strange they show more concern and more worries and want to impose far stricter rules over porn and avi and other purely visual sex than they do over flesh and bone sex which can lead to pregnacy and stds lol

people are strange .

qft

What about using a certified copy of driver's license or other goverment/state ID? That way underage users will have to take the ID to a licensed verifier who will then have to verify it is them and attest to it?

The paperwork processing on Linden Lab's part would be an insurmountable task. All of this is just talk at this point, since the deal with Integrity has apparently been inked.