Bow to the Gatekeeper
- Thread starter Andy Chalk
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One word, "liability". The ability to reasonably deny something in a court of law will save them millions from lawsuits where moral crusaders scream "think of the children" when they really mean "wheres my cut".
Lawyers need to be held to higher ethics and rules than poltiations and doctors >>
Lawyers need to be held to higher ethics and rules than poltiations and doctors >>
I remember one time I got grounded because my parents (well just my Dad, he's the douche of the family) found out that I lied on an age-gate. (for Ebay)
Now my computer is in the Living Room, probably for that reason considering that haven't caught me doing anything.
Now my computer is in the Living Room, probably for that reason considering that haven't caught me doing anything.
I can faintly recall a quote from House (yes, that House) about age gates.
I think it was something like, "Hm. Are you over 18?"
"Yes, I am. *clicks 'Yes'* That was easy. Even a 17-year old could figure that out!"
It's really sad that they are our best option.
I think it was something like, "Hm. Are you over 18?"
"Yes, I am. *clicks 'Yes'* That was easy. Even a 17-year old could figure that out!"
It's really sad that they are our best option.
They do it because they're legally required to. If they provide adult content to an underage person they can be sued out the ass. I got into an R movie when I was 15 because I said I was 18. Bought an M game when I was 16. First time I bought cigarettes after I turned 18 I wasn't carded. First time I bought booze after I turned 21 I wasn't carded. Agreed that the system is worthless since I just scroll down to a year, ranging from 1980-1920 and get in, and I'm sure many folks younger than me can figure that out. Still, protecting your companies ass from prosecution is extremely important. The trump card "We asked how old they were, they lied." Makes perfect sense to me. The parents should pay more attention to what their kids are doing, it's not the world's job to protect them, despite how much they ***** and moan. You don't want your kids accessing unacceptable content on the internet? Don't get an internet connection. Even if you use those wonderful content settings, I guarantee your kid is smart enough to get around them, as simple as downloading firefox and putting it in a folder. Both sides of the argument are valid, the gatekeeper software is pointless as far as stopping access to the site, but it saves the companies ass. And if the company gets their asses sued off they can't provide content to anyone, regardless of how they lie about their age.
Maybe they should bring back the old 'Leisure Suit Larry' age control system?
I remember being a kid and trying to play this game and before it would start would ask me questions based on current (current enough to the game) and American culture (which was difficult for a brit
) - but 'adult' stuff that only adults really care enough to know about.
Obviously it wasn't rocket science to work it out but it seemed a little more effective than a passive "How old are you" mechanism that has no real way to validate your actual physical age.
Seemed a bit stupid to be honest, the only 'rude bits' in 'Leisure suit larry' were always obsured by a big black block. I guess it was funnier to have a big black block moving up and down than a bunch of pixels getting it on!
I remember being a kid and trying to play this game and before it would start would ask me questions based on current (current enough to the game) and American culture (which was difficult for a brit
) - but 'adult' stuff that only adults really care enough to know about.Obviously it wasn't rocket science to work it out but it seemed a little more effective than a passive "How old are you" mechanism that has no real way to validate your actual physical age.
Seemed a bit stupid to be honest, the only 'rude bits' in 'Leisure suit larry' were always obsured by a big black block. I guess it was funnier to have a big black block moving up and down than a bunch of pixels getting it on!
I used to legitimately enter my real birth date, but after a while it just got tiresome. Can't my computer just enter it for me? But of course, that can't happen because even the same site (and even the same page on the same site) will ask me over and over again to tell them my birth date. I even created an account on a website that I frequented so that in the hopes that the numerous "age gates" I encountered would be auto-filled based on the fact that I'm logged on, but no luck.
So I gave up. I just click the year button, scroll down past the 90's, and click. Like Susan Arendt, I too was "born" on the first of January.
So I gave up. I just click the year button, scroll down past the 90's, and click. Like Susan Arendt, I too was "born" on the first of January.
I think the reason is that in the end, Parents are tired of parenting their kids, i have a son, he is quite young but it always strucked me as "stupid" that my mother in law keeps asking me and my whife to put a foamy helmet on my son, or buy a belt that haves our kid tied up to us like a dog on a leash when we go out, things like that.
why?, why do i have to tie my son to my belt if just paying attention to where he is at all times is enough?, why do i need to put a helmet in his head if i can prevent him from squishing his head by simply making sure that he doesn´t get to close to an unsecure area?.
why should i relay in outside help to look after my son?, in the end all those things are just an excuse for not to look after the kid, and people tend to forget that parenting is for parents, specialy the goverment, i know that they are doing it because they think its the best for the kids, but shouldn´t parents be the ones that know what is best for the kids?.
oh, and any parent that blames a corporation because his son got lost/hur/exposed to adult material should not have being a parent to begin with, the prime responsibility should always be of the parents, and a notice in the web stating "this site may contain inapropiate material to for children" should suffice.
i guess the question should go like "what happened to the super powers mom´s (or dad´s) had that alowed them to know what were you doing at any given momment as a kid?"
well... it probably got lost in generations of ADD.
why?, why do i have to tie my son to my belt if just paying attention to where he is at all times is enough?, why do i need to put a helmet in his head if i can prevent him from squishing his head by simply making sure that he doesn´t get to close to an unsecure area?.
why should i relay in outside help to look after my son?, in the end all those things are just an excuse for not to look after the kid, and people tend to forget that parenting is for parents, specialy the goverment, i know that they are doing it because they think its the best for the kids, but shouldn´t parents be the ones that know what is best for the kids?.
oh, and any parent that blames a corporation because his son got lost/hur/exposed to adult material should not have being a parent to begin with, the prime responsibility should always be of the parents, and a notice in the web stating "this site may contain inapropiate material to for children" should suffice.
i guess the question should go like "what happened to the super powers mom´s (or dad´s) had that alowed them to know what were you doing at any given momment as a kid?"
well... it probably got lost in generations of ADD.
Except that there is precedent for expecting parents to regulate their children, and just about none for shareholders enforcing copyrights? Or were you implying that shareholders should push their companies to be even more draconian (move the MP3's into the living room, so to speak) than they already have tried to be?Andy_Panthro said:
I haven't agreed with an article this much in a while. I have talked with kids in their teens and it amazes me how little their parents know about what they do or look at. Now I had a pretty easy going Mom. She never really stopped me from playing various games, granted back then that was the time of the Atari, NES, and the Master System (overall those games are pretty tame compared to today), but what she did do is talk to me about what I was playing. She would ask me about the plot, or what I liked about the games I was playing. In that discussion is where she gauged how I was handling what I was playing. Parents now rarely talk to their kids about what they do, or where they are going. The parents are so caught up in their damn jobs and keeping up with the Jones' that they forgot how to be a family first....
To the parents of the world: It is not the game companies, music artist or the governments job to take care of your kids, it's your job!
To the parents of the world: It is not the game companies, music artist or the governments job to take care of your kids, it's your job!
Andy, I couldn't have said it better myself.
The very act of censoring things for children is rife with problems. Who decides what kids should and shouldn't see? That used to be parents, but for decades the law has taken it upon itself to decide this. And why shouldn't they see it? I'd be more considered if poor Timmy never saw a tit before he was 18 than if he stumbled upon a couple at 14. What's the harm? Besides, what if Johnny is more mature and can handle it at 16? The law is a blunt object, meant to protect us from the lowest common denominator, not meant to decide what is "decent" behaviour for various ages. Adding technology only complicates the matter.
Really, the problem is the parents. They don't want to take responsibility for their kids -- if their kids turn out violent, sadistic, and lazy, the parents blame videogames. A vocal minority are shouting about how indecent video games are, while the rest are buying Grand Theft Auto for their 12 year old.
In the end, it's the adults who lose. Even the slightest adult content is filtered out and watered down before it reaches the market, leaving those of us with the interest and maturity out in the cold, or at least jumping through hoops to verify our age.
Stop looking for the answers in law and technology and start taking responsbility for yourself and your kids. And keep your deceny to yourself!
The very act of censoring things for children is rife with problems. Who decides what kids should and shouldn't see? That used to be parents, but for decades the law has taken it upon itself to decide this. And why shouldn't they see it? I'd be more considered if poor Timmy never saw a tit before he was 18 than if he stumbled upon a couple at 14. What's the harm? Besides, what if Johnny is more mature and can handle it at 16? The law is a blunt object, meant to protect us from the lowest common denominator, not meant to decide what is "decent" behaviour for various ages. Adding technology only complicates the matter.
Really, the problem is the parents. They don't want to take responsibility for their kids -- if their kids turn out violent, sadistic, and lazy, the parents blame videogames. A vocal minority are shouting about how indecent video games are, while the rest are buying Grand Theft Auto for their 12 year old.
In the end, it's the adults who lose. Even the slightest adult content is filtered out and watered down before it reaches the market, leaving those of us with the interest and maturity out in the cold, or at least jumping through hoops to verify our age.
Stop looking for the answers in law and technology and start taking responsbility for yourself and your kids. And keep your deceny to yourself!
Can you really blame the companies for wanting to protect themselves from stupid parents who can't be convinced to spend the time to talk to their kids about mature content? It's not, and it shouldn't be, their job to show what content is age-appropriate for viewers. And are these really a problem?
If the kid is really determined to get on, Google search is just a click away. In the end, the onus is still on the parents.ldwater said:Maybe they should bring back the old 'Leisure Suit Larry' age control system?
I remember being a kid and trying to play this game and before it would start would ask me questions based on current (current enough to the game) and American culture (which was difficult for a brit
"A very small group of ultra conservatives." Tends to be the answer to most of these questions OP.
I'm not liberal or conservative, but everytime I've ever had a "Why is this so restrictive and stupid?" question the above line was the answer.
I'm not liberal or conservative, but everytime I've ever had a "Why is this so restrictive and stupid?" question the above line was the answer.
