Young members - birthdates required

[Hulk's iconHulk]

On my forum I've had to make it so birthdates are required to ensure the security and safety of my new forum stays in tact. We had someone during beta stage try to sign up that was 11 or 12. I've since made it that members have to be 13 and up to be able to go past the sign up form. If a younger person is caught lieing actions are taken against them.



Anyway just wondering do you have a system like this in place? What minimum age do you allow on your forum?

 

[McConnaughay]

Oh, those filthy kids! Seriously though, those restrictions making it so that only thirteen year olds and over can join are pointless because the person is just going to lie, and there's no way to tell if they're lieing. Even if you did, there's nothing you can do besides ban them, and if the person is actually contributing, you banning them for their age seems unfair and quite frankly, it seems bratty.

 

[Hulk's iconHulk]

I wouldn't care if they had 50000 posts. Rules are rules in my view.

 

[McConnaughay]

I wouldn't care if they had 50000 posts. Rules are rules in my view.

I didn't ask you to bend the rules, I'm simply saying that it shouldn't be a rule period, because it's no big deal, and chances are you'll have members under thirteen and not be aware of it anyway. If the individual is mature enough to post on your forum, than who cares how old he or she is? Is your website a porn website, does it really have anything too adult for a twelve year old to see?

 

[Hulk's iconHulk]

People know they must be 13 because if they enter a birthday of anything under it says they're not allowed to register. So they will already know they've done wrong if they are caught. Plus I am a member on so many forums so I can easily catch A, B or C member and if I see their age is under 13 a ban comes their way.



My forum doesn't have any swear rules and I don't believe I should add swear censoring just to have younger people join my site. It's a law in America or whatever to be of 13 before joining a forum anyway. I am sure of it. Law's are different here though but the forum is hosted in the US.

 

[McConnaughay]

You do not have to be a certain age to join a forum, it is not a law in the United States. If you are below the required age, you might be forced to fill out a COPPA form, but there isn't legitimately any LAWS that refrain registry. You won't have to censor anything for the record anyway, it's not like a twelve year olds tender eyes can't be graced with the sign of a cuss word, because many twelve year olds likely here it in day to day life. You can do whatever you want, I'm just saying that there are plenty of ways to get passed the age restrictions, and I think that if an individual is mature enough to contribute, the right thing to do is let them contribute.

 

[McConnaughay]

If not a Law then It's with-in forum host's/software rules...

Maybe, I remember with several of the softwares that I worked with, they had the COPPA option, or just a slight notice to take precaution. Cheshire, does your forum software specify any rules of this in it's guidelines, if not than age is irrelevant.

 

[Bluezone777]

I do not care about how old you physically are but if you intend on acting like you are 12 then you won't be hanging around for long. Of course, I don't openly state such things on a board where you are supposed to block underage users but I honestly don't make any effort to do anything about someone who is under 13 years old. COPPA is a dumb law anyway and doesn't do a thing to help protect anyone. I wish they do away with it to be honest but that won't happen.

 

[Jazzy]

People know they must be 13 because if they enter a birthday of anything under it says they're not allowed to register.

Once they do that and realize where they went wrong, they simply change their date of birth. If it's upfront before they register then they again just change their date of birth. You can't see these members so you have no proof how old they are. Some adults post like they are 12 years old. I agree with Nicholas that if a member is mature enough to contribute then let them do it. Heck, for all you know I'm a 10 year old.........

 

[Evil Eye]

I think it's pointless and unnecessary. Ban 'em if they're annoying, don't ban 'em for being underage...

Once they do that and realize where they went wrong, they simply change their date of birth.

If they were even honest the first time. I, for one, always just enter a random date. Why do they want my age? *suspicious glare*