Why Does Steam Continually Ask for Age Verifications?

Brian9824 28/set./2021 às 8:13

The short answer is by law to protect steam from lawsuits. They have no idea who is using your computer and just because YOU don't leave your account open doesn't mean someone else doesn't, nor does it mean they have any way to verify if you are over 18.

#1

Alf 28/set./2021 às 8:18

Escrito originalmente por brian9824:
...nor does it mean they have any way to verify if you are over 18.

Further explain your idea here. I have no idea what you are talking about that is relevant to the question.

#2

Brian9824 28/set./2021 às 8:20

Escrito originalmente por Alf:
Escrito originalmente por brian9824:
...nor does it mean they have any way to verify if you are over 18.

Further explain your idea here. I have no idea what you are talking about that is relevant to the question.

What's hard to understand? Age verification is to confirm you are over 18. Steam has no way to tell how old the person sitting at the keyboard is so they ask. If you lie then that would protect them if anyone files suit over their kids accessing content they aren't supposed to see.

#3

Crazy Tiger 28/set./2021 às 8:22

It's required to be an active choice to view a store page, since Steam has no way of knowing whether the person owning the account and the person browsing the store are the same person. It's there as a form of indemnification.

Blog post: https://steamcommunity.com/games/593110/announcements/detail/1708442022337025126

Relevant quote from the blog post:

Q: Why do you KEEP asking my damn age throughout the store?

A: We're with you on this. Unfortunately, many rating agencies have rules that stipulate that we cannot save your age for longer than a single browsing session. It's frustrating, but know we're filling out those age gates too.

#4

Alf 28/set./2021 às 8:22

Escrito originalmente por brian9824:
Escrito originalmente por Alf:

Further explain your idea here. I have no idea what you are talking about that is relevant to the question.

What's hard to understand? Age verification is to confirm you are over 18. Steam has no way to tell how old the person sitting at the keyboard is so they ask. If you lie then that would protect them if anyone files suit over their kids accessing content they aren't supposed to see.

Since when were they even ever able to verify it?

#5

Brian9824 28/set./2021 às 8:28

Escrito originalmente por Alf:
Escrito originalmente por brian9824:

What's hard to understand? Age verification is to confirm you are over 18. Steam has no way to tell how old the person sitting at the keyboard is so they ask. If you lie then that would protect them if anyone files suit over their kids accessing content they aren't supposed to see.

Since when were they even ever able to verify it?

They aren't, hence why again they ask for your age to protect them from lawsuits. The age verification is just to cover their butts with the law as previously stated. If some 12 year old kid lies about his age and accesses adult content then steam can't be sued by his parents because he lied to get access to it.

So every time you start a new session you have to re-enter the age verification because steam doesn't know who is sitting at your computer

#6

Chika Ogiue 28/set./2021 às 8:31

Escrito originalmente por brian9824:
Age verification is to confirm you are over 18.

That's a common misconception. While the West favours age gates that require you to put in a birthdate, other regions, such as Japan, merely ask you a yes/no question. But, regardless of the format the age gate takes, your age is completely irrelevant. This is because age verification in the form of age gates is not to confirm your actual age. It's purpose is to make you accept responsibility.

By having to fill out that age gate you are taking responsibility from the other party and firmly holding it in your own hands. So now if, by filling out that gate, you are exposed to something you have an issue with, it's on you. You did it to yourself. And thus, an army of lawyers can sleep safely at night knowing they can spend their time doing more important things, like playing golf.

#7

Alf 28/set./2021 às 8:32

They could simply have an user agreement and have this constant age verification done with.

#8

Brian9824 28/set./2021 às 8:34

Escrito originalmente por Chika Ogiue:
Escrito originalmente por brian9824:
Age verification is to confirm you are over 18.

That's a common misconception. While the West favours age gates that require you to put in a birthdate, other regions, such as Japan, merely ask you a yes/no question. But, regardless of the format the age gate takes, your age is completely irrelevant. This is because age verification in the form of age gates is not to confirm your actual age. It's purpose is to make you accept responsibility.

By having to fill out that age gate you are taking responsibility from the other party and firmly holding it in your own hands. So now if, by filling out that gate, you are exposed to something you have an issue with, it's on you. You did it to yourself. And thus, an army of lawyers can sleep safely at night knowing they can spend their time doing more important things, like playing golf.

Umm yes I already said that try finishing reading the comment including the parts you commented out and removed where I already said its to protect them from liability

Escrito originalmente por brian9824:
If you lie then that would protect them if anyone files suit over their kids accessing content they aren't supposed to see.

#9

Brian9824 28/set./2021 às 8:35

Escrito originalmente por Alf:
They could simply have an user agreement and have this constant age verification done with.

Again no, because the law requires it. Just because YOU signed a user agreement, doesn't mean that YOU are the one sitting at your desk. It's not up to steam, its the way the laws work to protect themselves from lawsuits so if you want it changed then write your local politician

#10

Chika Ogiue 28/set./2021 às 8:43

And to build on my previous post: CERO (one of the age rating boards) in Japan, actually does verify age. This is something Valve don't do, and thus, are technically in breach of terms for selling CERO Z rated games, and could face heavy fines as a result. CERO do this by stipulating that any digitally sold CERO Z rated game be only purchasable by credit card (which are only issued to people 18 years or older in Japan). As Valve allow other payment methods, such as Paypal and Steam wallet to accepted for these purchases, they are liable for any product where the CERO Z rating remains displayed.

Valve removed a fair number of these shortly after Assassin's Creed Valhalla was released. This because Ubisoft got into a spat over CERO for displaying that rating when they included content CERO did not allow. PC games don't actually legally require a CERO rating, which is likely why Valve have not had any problems yet, despite the number of developers who slap a CERO Z rating on their product. To sum up, it's complicated. Age-gates help offset that complication.

Escrito originalmente por brian9824:
Umm yes I already said that try finishing reading the comment including the parts you commented out and removed where I already said its to protect them from liability

Well, if you had actually explained the age-gates true purpose maybe I wouldn't have had to clarify, mmkay? But no, you stated it was to confirm if someone was over a certain age, which as I explained, is wrong.

#11

Brian9824 28/set./2021 às 8:50

Escrito originalmente por Chika Ogiue:
Well, if you had actually explained the age-gates true purpose maybe I wouldn't have had to clarify, mmkay? But no, you stated it was to confirm if someone was over a certain age, which as I explained, is wrong.

Ummm you mean like this

Escrito originalmente por brian9824:
The short answer is by law to protect steam from lawsuits. They have no idea who is using your computer and just because YOU don't leave your account open doesn't mean someone else doesn't, nor does it mean they have any way to verify if you are over 18.

Or this

Escrito originalmente por brian9824:
If you lie then that would protect them if anyone files suit over their kids accessing content they aren't supposed to see.

Or this

Escrito originalmente por brian9824:

They aren't, hence why again they ask for your age to protect them from lawsuits. The age verification is just to cover their butts with the law as previously stated. If some 12 year old kid lies about his age and accesses adult content then steam can't be sued by his parents because he lied to get access to it

I mean did you even READ any of the posts because its looking like you read 1 sentence of 1 post and are now sticking your foot even farther into your mouth. You clarified nothing, you just repeated what I've already repeatedly posted and showed you didn't even read any of the posts....

So the correct answer is Yes, you didn't read anything I wrote and you apologize for making incorrect assumptions because you were too busy trying to be a know it all that you couldn't be bothered to read what was posted

#12

Brian9824 28/set./2021 às 8:56

Escrito originalmente por Chika Ogiue:
Valve removed a fair number of these shortly after Assassin's Creed Valhalla was released. This because Ubisoft got into a spat over CERO for displaying that rating when they included content CERO did not allow.

Umm also that is completely false, where is your source for that claim? The only "spat" Ubisoft had regarding CERO was that Ubisoft initially claimed they removed blood for the Japanese release of the game when in fact CERO had absolutely NOTHING to do with ANY content being removed from the game. They even confirmed that the game could release without any of Ubisoft's censorships with no issue.

Ubisoft even confirmed the issue was nothing to do with CERO and was an internal mistake and they would fix it with a patch.

Última edição por Brian9824; 28/set./2021 às 8:58

#13

Alf 28/set./2021 às 9:03

Seems like no one caught on to my suggestion. As I said before they could just have a user agreement that the user of the steam account is an adult and that it is his or her responsibility to ensure minors do not have access to the account, and then voila!

There are tons of things that minors should haven't access to that is in the household that is much more dangerous than viewing mostly a title of a video game as they don't actually show you any nudity if that was the case, lmao.

Última edição por Alf; 28/set./2021 às 9:03

#14

Brian9824 28/set./2021 às 9:09

Escrito originalmente por Alf:
Seems like no one caught on to my suggestion. As I said before they could just have a user agreement that the user of the steam account is an adult and that it is his or her responsibility to ensure minors do not have access to the account, and then voila!

What part of the law doesn't allow that didn't you understand? The law requires they re-confirm the age every session.

Again read this - https://steamcommunity.com/games/593110/announcements/detail/1708442022337025126

Q: Why do you KEEP asking my damn age throughout the store?

A: We're with you on this. Unfortunately, many rating agencies have rules that stipulate that we cannot save your age for longer than a single browsing session. It's frustrating, but know we're filling out those age gates too.

If you want it changed then get the law changed so steam can stop doing it. We all know its stupid, steam knows it stupid, but they still have to do it because its the law.

#15

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