Age verification software

Come on one of you

[Belinda]

If this is really where all the good ones....hang out, someone get the above going pls.

Most of the stuff out there is pretty ineffective at the present.

Also what do you do in adult industries etc...particularly uk based?

[Ledfish]

I'm not sure there is an true ability to verify age. Credit cards having long been considered the best method, however that doesn't provide any certainty since it could be stolen or even mom's or dad's. One thing I had heard of a while ago was a method by which a person would have to input there name and age. This itself would not be a verifer, but it might help because with the right kind of legal wording, if a person lies, then they could be committing fraud or misrepresentation and that could be used as a possible defense in court if needed. It is unproven so no one really nows what the true legal outcome would be.

Unfortunately, there is no way to positive prove age or identity.

[TheDave]

Sure there is, Leisure Suit Larry did it ;)

[AWildman]

I remember that game! Asked a bunch of questions only an "18" year old would know. Luckily I was a smart 15 year old... :)

[ControlEngineer]

I think any teenager or pre-teen can find a way to peek into a parents billfold and read a credit card number.

As for asking for age, try defending against a statutary rape charge by "she told me she was 18". Same principle.

[wackal]

I would agree with LedFish, there is no sure way to verify age. Most of the software out there is used so website owners can cover their ass and satisfy legal requirements. It's not really about verifying how old people are.

[rharri]

Another twist we ran into with obtaining a privacy seal was we were not supposed to tell the user they were being rejected because of age. So we ask for birthdate and give a non-specific error message if they're too young asking them to call our office.

[Belinda]

re: software, can anyone recommend the best they have found, I have seen some stuff that seems to be very much US focused.

Would like to know if there is any out there that is UK specific.

Wackal you mentioned software that is there to satisfy the legals...

ta

[gr8tango]

So what about those age verifications that require credit cards? are those a scam or a legal formality as well?

[richlowe]

The theory is you must be over 18 to get a credit card, so if you have one it "proves" you are over 18.

[Ledfish]

gr8tango

Age verification is not a scam as much as it is a honest attempt, something I'm sure a defense attorney would point out in court if something resulted in that. On the other hand, the crafty prosecutor would rebutt that your method was flawed, obviously didn't work hence the reason you are in court. At that point both sides would bring in experts, your's would basically testify that you did everything you could. The prosecutor's expert would testify that you didn't do enough and suggest that the only people that should get in are those that provide physical proof. You would say that physical proof via the web is not realistically possible. They would say yes it is, but that you didn't think it practical because really it would adversely affect your revenue, thus you are greedy.......yada yada yada

In the end:
Jury agrees that you are greedy and a threat to minor children, the prosecutor wins and you go to jail!

[Ledfish]

Also, I have seen several instance of minors having there own credit cards with no adult backing those. The fact that they can't be forced to pay those charges is viewed as a cost of doing business, something the credit card issuers will pass on to the merchants by way of higher discount rates. Also it is viewed by the credit card issuers as money spent on future business......"Hook'em Young" is the overall slogan and idea. This is why you see so many credit card companies pushing offers to college students...."Hook'em on buying on credit young"

[wackal]

Belinda,

what I meant was that the laws that are out there require adult websites to use age verification software to keep kids out of those sites. The law doesn't say anything about how well the software should work, and a lot of times what you get is some type of age verification that can be easily circumvented. That's why I said its about satisfying the law and not keeping kids out.

[gr8tango]

One of our people said that the age verification systems they found 'required' that your site show porn. I don't want something like that. Does anyone have a list of age verification software, services, etc?