Age Verification Answers

Sigh.

From the blog:

What documents do I need to prove my age?
Exact documents may vary depending on your country of residence but may include:
Passport
Driver’s license
Name
Address
National ID number, such as a Social Security number

MAY include. MAY.

LL needs one of those people who successfully write technical manuals and (competent) instruction sheets. The guy who knows that when he says "screw light bulb into socket" he has to specify that you place the threaded part of the bulb in the socket and that you align it with the threads inside the socket and that you turn it clockwise...

Ive done that job before.

The instruction part.

Well also the changing lightbulb part.

I Have A Question,

What Sims Will Exactly Get Blocked?
Would It Be ALL Mature Sims?
Or Would People who Do not verify be able to get on "Mature" Sims? Or Only PG?


Skin Shops?
Clubs?
Malls?
Reason I Ask Is Because a lot of places That sell Skin like Nomine, Canimal, Etc. Sell Clothes as well.... would they have to be marked "Adult"

Because Personally, I don't Want To Be Cut Off From clothes Or Skin Shopping!

Because this isn't about minors accessing adult content. The standard for age verification for porn on the Internet is simply a credit card. But LL already has credit cards on file, and they are not accepting that standard. In their announcement, LL said that they will require your SSN. And for those outside the USA, a passport number. Clearly they are verifying the identities of users to a much higher standard than is required for "adult content" purposes.

Now, what might the real purpose be? We know that they recently announced that gambling is illegal in the USA and we know the government has been working on the Second Life "problem". We also know that the federal tax authority (IRS) has expressed interest in Second Life.

With that in mind, suddenly and quickly, Linden Lab is going to roll out this heavy-handed identity verification system. Is it a leap to suppose that the government has put pressure on them to do something quickly?

I suspect the government also views the metaverse as some kind of complex money laundering system. (Maybe they are also thinking about it in terms of a new terrorist communication system.) They certainly consider it to be an illegal gambling platform. It is no surprise that they would like metaverse providers such as Linden Lab to set a precedent in identity verification in these areas. Once in place, this can be used in conjunction with monitoring of user activities (by mining the database of avatar locations, account transactions, and chat/IM logs, or whatever is available) to identify and prosecute cyber criminals (eg. people who bet money in a 'Sploder).

The fact that minors will be prevented, to the reasonable extent possible, from accessing porn, is just a happy fallout from this.

If Linden Lab doesn't cooperate and get the SSNs of people who could possibly be gambling or cashing out linden dollars, then the feds could say that the company is complicit in supporting an illegal gambling and money laundering platform and throw Phillip Linden in prison. Oh, and shut down Second Life, of course.

Call me paranoid if you want, but that's how it looks to me, given the information and context and timing that has been made public.

Its interesting that after over 4 years this is still such a big prolem. lol

Heres the very first Age verification thread - dated March 2003

/120/55/1180/1.html

I guess it IS about time they finally did something about it.

Feldspar might be right, or he might not be. For the moment, I suspect metaverses are so far out on the edge of government radar that governments really haven't thought about it yet. SL's effect on RL so far is very marginal. But already it is not zero. As it and the metaverse phenomenon grow, it will have a bigger impact. So it is perfectly rational for governments to concern themselves with it more and more. Not only rational, but responsible:

I have been avoiding saying so till now, but the cat is already more than halfway out of the bag, so here it is: The day could come when there is an unremarked sim island out there, carefully kept off all the search screens, surrounded by ban lines, with security orbs all over it, and an opaque skybox at 700+ meters full of Al Qaida operatives having "business" meetings. That is a long, long way from our present concerns about ID and verification, but it is the end destination on the road on which our verification issue is just a very early step. Metaverse is a function of universe, and like it or not, ReaLity will obtrude. Alas.

Actually, they use the word 'may,' because it probably won't. Think about it, if the info you provided doesn't match up, then you have one more chance to get it verified - your numbers. I can see several reasons for the info to not match up, including the fact that you just got married or moved and things haven't been updated yet. If giving them those numbers get you verified when things go south, then so be it.

Exactly so. Ensuring payment on file is all that's needed. This is fishy.

No. LL is performing its due dilligence because they've had AMPLE evidence that providing a credit card does NOT mena you are over 18. A credit card is NOT PROOF OF AGE.

I'm all for this. It's about time!

My question is simple.

What about those that are non-US citizens where no national ID card exists, and who have no drivers licence or passport? How do they get verified?



After 2 1/2 years being here (with a valid CC), having a child that has played teen grid for over a year, looks like I will now be limited in what I can access and do in SL simply because of where I live.


Ama

Yes, I agree. Why does SL need more information as other companies/organisaties with content that may not be fitted for all (= minors)?

And there are two more issues to this all for me. When my credit card-number gets stolen, one phone call and the darn things is blocked. And I am insured against misuse of my credit card.... If my passport number gets in the wrong hands I am big shit. Hence, there are even often warning to NOT transmit this kind of data over the Internet.

And a more principal issue to that... with all the "terrorist-things" going around, it seems you never can be sure were you information ends up. Maybe SL will not store any information, but what about the third party that is involved...
In my wild imagination I see in dark office some very very very secret agent studying my information (*giggles* I remember in a thread some time ago someone saying that all none US citizens in Sl should be checked if they are not potential terrorists... seemed to be the American Way... SHE said).... and this very very secret agents suddenly starts to whispers: "Well.. well... here we have Miss <BLIEP>. She took active part of anti nuclear weapon protest marches (which I did).... she seems not to like our beloved president (which I do not indeed)... she is been part of some political parties that were not US friendly (errmmm... true, but my argements were always against US politics, not US people).... and above all she is gay (I am),.,,, she must be a bad bad person!!!
I exxarate here 100000%.... but the point is there for me.

Morwen.

A driver license is? My youngest has even easier access to my driving license as to my creditcard.

Not that she ever would. She left SL when she turned 18... completely not interested in the main grid.

Morwen.

From Integrity's website: "Only a match code is provided to the merchant so the consumer's privacy is protected at all times." That looks like a pretty solid promise to me. If it's a lie, Integrity buys itself criminal and civil liability. I don't think they're that stupid.

As for international coverage, Integrity does business in 157 countries. It's in the business of verifying age around the world, not just in the United States.

Finally, as to "why does LL need more than a credit card": because companies like Visa now prohibit merchants to use the credit-card as an age-verification measure.

But what if the US governmetn or something knock on their door?

Sorry, I have nothing to do with US goverment.

Edit: One thing I have learned... always be very sceptical about what a company claims on their own website about them self.

But it does say somebody thinks your credit worthy. Some bank or your parents anyway. Or maybe you 'borrowed' moms card. If they charged one dollar to the credit card for a non premium verification, that would at least show up on moms bank statement. Then she could say, " WHATS THIS SECONDLIFE SHIT??" But we dont have faith in parents controlling their childs access to questionable websites. Basically because for every dilligent parent out there, theres a couple of half assed ones whos kids are slicker than they are. And even the dilligent parent has little control what their kids are able to see over at a friends house, where the parents are clueless or just dont care. Without decent age verification, little Suzy will go over Sallys house, and while Sallys mom and dad are at work, they will hop into SL and become sexball prostitutes. Cant let our kids be wandering around the internet having cartoon sex now can we?

And you think this age verification changes this??? Suzy hides her mom's driving license/passport (or a copy quickly made on the all-in-one printer) and walks over to Sally's house.... and proofs to SL she is 18+

Does not change a thing

Personally, my driver's license and passport are far more secure than my credit card number. I give out the CC number all the time -- in restaurants, hotels, over the phone, on the internet, etc. My passport is locked in a safe. To get my driver's license, a kid needs to steal it from my wallet, which in my case would not be easy to do. If you're concerned about someone taking your driver's license, keep it someplace more secure.

As I said here, I've been adviced by a Legal Professional that I should not give out my personal details they're asking for. LL have been breached before and our payment details accessed. They've got an awfull reputation on the internet. Just look at the BBB site. We have NO customer care whats so ever, the Open Letter has been ignored, and now they want us to give them details that NO other game requires.
While I understand why they're doing it, there are many other ways to do so- Just one example To me, this just seems like another way for LL to get money, not only though us but throught the third party, also a way to hide if legal issues appear. I suggest getting a real legal team together guys

As I said in the blog, here in the UK, you must be 18 to have a credit card (not a debit card) so there for, in your own statement the UK are void from this matter providing we have a credit card on record. You can argue that it could be a minors parents card, but then the legal reprocustions fall on the card owner, not LL. Re instagate (yet again) payment info, but then add into it the COPA Commision. OK, you wont get money from it but you may not lose members that other wise could leave (doubt you care though)

I'd also like to point out that many people I've spoken to, don't trust you with our details, you're reputation is appauling when it comes to your customers. It's not that we're trying to hide anything sinister, it's that we're trying to protect our privacy and possible ID theft incase LL get breached yet again.

Once again, yet again- You have my CC details, that's all you're getting. I'm in the UK, I have a credit card. Thats proof I'm over 18.

Uh huh.. Did you tell your legal professional that LL isn't the one who will be getting your personal details and that you don't even know what will be required yet?

Yes

So what's the problem?

Must I re-post it all again? You quoted some of it, and without meaning to be rude, did you read the rest of it? I know that does sound patronising and/or rude but please read it again

I did read your post before and just read it again.. Maybe you should read mine again?