Can anyone persuade me "Verification" will exclude more Minors than a CC check ?

It seems this "Age verification" is a feature suggestion which is now virtually inevitable.

We all know that under-18's are wickedly typing in the address and credit card numbers of relatives or others when creating accounts.

I just can't see how it is more difficult to type in the Driving licence number and address of the same person.

Why would anyone believe this will achieve a worthwhile (or indeed any) reduction over what a credit card check would provide ?

Anyone care to explain ?

In practice (not theory) why should it work for any youngster, who must have already decided to cheat (by ticking the "over-18" box).

I simply don't get it. Help !

I don't think anyone can convince you (or even me) that any new age verification method is better than the next. Someone will find a way around it........every time. However, since Visa has announced that the use of it's CC number is not sufficient for age verification (and Mastercard is sure to follow, if they haven't already) the use of a CC is now not an option.........it's all about legalities. LL is covering their butts.....and they would be foolish if they did not. A reasonable attempt has to be made.......and a CC is not a reasonable attempt any longer.

I dont see it as being any better than CC#

Might be even worse - I may be easier for akid to get their parents SS# and other information then get their hands on the credit card.

And of course your Credit Card gives you a bill so you know it was used.

While your kid could use your ID details and you wouldnt have a clue.

This is so true it hurts.

No-one around who thinks Age Verification as proposed will actually increase protection for the lying little toads we must now all suffer risk to protect ?
Increase their protection, that is, from the consequences of their own lying ?

Maybe it is relevant to ask - under US law, at what age does a child become responsible for its own actions, capable of knowing right from wrong, in the sense that it can be prosecuted and punished when culpable (albeit in a juvenile court)?

Perhaps we should only be concerned to protect those below that age ? Surely THEY can't have credit cards of their own ? Surely THEIR parents can take responsibility for preventing them borrowing cards and licences ?

Those in SL above this age but under 18 have knowingly and culpably lied to intrude into our territory, and (via these tightened requlations) to constrain and damage our activities.

Maybe attack is the best form of defence ?

Perhaps if LL needs to establish it's credentials in preventing minors accessing adult material there is a better strategy. Better than scrabbling round for "insurance" from a database company, and then waiting for the lawyers to come after them.

Maybe a concerted effort from all of us to detect minors, and five or six high-profile civil prosecutions by LL of minors themselves, and/or of the parents who neglected to supervise them or protect their own credit cards from abuse ?

That would really hit the headlines. Pro-active instead of reactive.

My guess is the US public would love it, and it would provide solid evidence of determined efforts when defence against accusations of laxness was required.

I'm feeling grumpy today, aren't I ?
But is it really such a ludicrous suggestion ?

Not ludicrus at all. But that would require some sort of age verification system to be able to find those little critters.

I'm not so sure your optimism about the US population being supportive though. Someone will cry foul, discrimination, or illegal. In fact I'm sure a rather vocal minority will scream about it. But it would be some interesting press.

And for the people who keep saying that a person must be an adult to have a valid credit card issued to them..............Visa issues valid, legal credit cards to minors with their own name and personal details for the credit. The legal age of consent to the United States is 18. Visa will issue a credit to someone under the age of 18. That is why a CC is not an option anymore for age verification. Mastercard has said it will follow suit (they have to in order to remain competitive with Visa). And I'm sure before many months every major CC company will be issuing cards to minors.

Credit cards do no work anymore as valid age verification. Something else has to take it's place. Something that can be shown as a "reasonable attempt". Requiring nothing to back up a simple box to check stating you are over 18 is not a "reasonable attempt". So instead of whining all the time about "use credit cards" or "give a box to check" or "I'm not going to give anyone my age information" try to come up with something useful. Not productive bitching or unfounded accusations of data mining. That does not help at all.

Gulp..I thought I just did....

But you are absolutely right, Peggy. I guess this cannot be avoided.

Once we understand that it is about public image and litigation protection, and NOT about actually increasing the protection of minors then I guess we can stop going on about how it won't work. Because that is irrelevant, however true.

Personally I find all forms of sexuality in SL a total bore.

My concern is with the inevitability of "mission creep", eroding the general principle of trying to allow SL residents the maximum possible freedom of behaviour within whatever law has to apply.

The unfortunate management can't say publicly what the real reasons are, can they ?

But it's our job to see past this, and keep up what pressure for freedom we can.

This age verification system is simply the minimum a business can do and feel legally protected. It's not particularly effective at achiving the goal of age verification. It's probably effective at keeping LL from being liable. At least, the beer companies evidently think it's sufficient, and their budget and liabilities are probably a lot higher than LL's.

Great idea Atum, seems like a reasonably testable hypothesis to me. Because what is wanted is an improvement over what we have…and if the proposed system doesn't actually perform better "in the wild" than the old credit card check, then perhaps the proposed system isn’t so good.



Now, the folks at LL are pretty smart, so I'm sure they've asked for objective data from the proposed provider that demonstrates their success at successfully screening applicants for age…It would be interesting to get a peek at their research—and even more interesting to see a study done by an independent third party.



If anyone has any such data, or is familiar with studies in this area, let’s see some links. C'mon, share!