Verify age

[shemoanscazrex3]

I want to know the point of these verify age things. I can be four and easily just say I was born in 1923 so there goes your verification. The real reason why I'm ranting I guess is because, Yahtzee and Jimquisition don't need verification while the last trailer for Catherine did. The funny thing about the Catherine trailer is that it was basically the guy doing crap with boxes and showcasing different modes, how is that worthy of being 18, beats me

 

[RandallJohn]

I always figured it was just so sites couldn't be held liable for willingly showing stuff to minors, so if they get sued they can point at the verification and go "Hey, we tried!"

 

[DirgeNovak]

Big Whoop, it takes 3 seconds. I think it's an ESRB guideline, but not 100% sure.

 

[Sinclair Solutions]

I always figured it was just so sites couldn't be held liable for willingly showing stuff to minors, so if they get sued they can point at the verification and go "Hey, we tried!"

Yeah, I always thought it was a liability issue as well.

 

[Jezzascmezza]

It's probably a legal obligation, but a very feeble one at that.

 

[Littlee300]

I better question is: Why is everyone born on January 1st.

 

[Mr. Google]

I better question is: Why is everyone born on January 1st.

I always thought that it must be so awkward for the guy who was actually born january 1st 1955 and he just wanted to watch the new trailer for Gears of War.

 

[Scizophrenic Llama]

The game is rated for a certain age group, no reason for anybody under that age to see previews for a game they technically shouldn't be playing.

 

[evilneko]

Yup, completely a CYA thing because of a law passed in the early/mid-nineties. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Communications_Decency_Act

A second law which might apply is COPPA: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Children's_Online_Privacy_Protection_Act

COPPA is why many, many forums require a user to be (or at least, claim to be) over 13 in order to register. The CDA is probably the one you're thinking of though, being the one that prompts sites like say GameTrailers to ask a user's age before letting them watch Angry Video Game Nerd or something.

I've long been "of age" and find it annoying though. I don't think I've ever given my true birthdate to any site that asked.

 

[BRex21]

I think it is a liablility thing and nothing else, but i wish they would let you turn on mature content on your profile or something.
Seriously i dont even look at the dates anymore, im worried the escapist will laugh at me because im old.

 

[SoopaSte123]

We should record and use the age data to report how many elderly gamers we have.
"There are hundreds of gamers age 111!"

 

[xchurchx]

i actualy said one time i was born in 1920 and the site refused me access :l

 

[Stammer]

It's there so if a child gets his eyes and ears all over a PEGI18 trailer with lots of swearing and blood then his mom can't sue the company saying "Why did you let a little kid watch this trailer?!"

This way the company could just say "Well ma'am, he said he was over the age of 18. He lied to us. It's his fault, not ours.

Though one thing I would like to see this site do is either go by my profile's age or perhaps save the age I've entered into the site for a couple of days at a time instead of prompting me EVERY SINGLE TIME.

 

[smartengine]

I'm 1*, still a minor, but everyone on the internet thinks I'm 26. Why? Well because GTA4 was announced and I rushed to it's site. When it asked me what age I was, I told the truth, and I've never been able to access the site(it happened before I knew about cookies). I raged and picked a date of birth which makes me mature, so that that will never happen again. And it didn't. Because there isn't a single account on the internet which connects me and my real age. Plus by telling your real age it makes it a lot easier for people to find who you really are.

 

[n00beffect]

Haha, so utterly true.

 

[mad825]

I think it is a liablility thing and nothing else, but i wish they would let you turn on mature content on your profile or something.
Seriously i dont even look at the dates anymore, im worried the escapist will laugh at me because im old.

If my knowledge of the inter-webs serves me well, you could just edit the cookie so that it never expires

 

[The Hero Killer]

I guess if your really truly too young to look at the content...say 3 years old, you wouldnt be smart enough to lie about your age. It reminds me of when porn sites have a "Enter Here" button and a "I'm not 18 so I'll leave" button.

 

[Ranorak]

Trailers are rated and thus might require a age verification, The Escapist's own material isn't.