Steam now requiring age verification in the UK

seabiscuit

seabiscuit

seabiscuit

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So Steam seems to now require a credit card (some reports are saying that debit cards may work, but as these can be provided to people under 18 where a credit card can't be, not sure how long that loophole will last) to prove that users are over 18 for "mature" titles for users in the UK. Even if your Steam account is over 18 years old itself.
Bit more information here:
www.eurogamer.net

UK Steam users must now verify age to access store pages for mature games thanks to Online Safety Act

Steam users in the UK must now verify their age in order to access store pages for games with mature content, as required by the Online Safety Act.
www.eurogamer.net www.eurogamer.net
 
A CC, no problem with that, that's a sensible way to verify considering a huge number of adults will have given those details already.

Thankfully no upload to a random third party - you know you're buying from Steam and you know they need your payment details.
 
Debit card does work (for now), but I doubt they will ask again even if they close they loophole. It's also only a credit card, so if you don't have a credit card and they close the debit loophole, you are shafted as they offer no other options.

Still a joke, 20 year old account, but maybe you made it before you were born, so have to ask.
 
Armadillo said:
Debit card does work (for now), but I doubt they will ask again even if they close they loophole. It's also only a credit card, so if you don't have a credit card and they close the debit loophole, you are shafted as they offer no other options.

Still a joke, 20 year old account, but maybe you made it before you were born, so have to ask.
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Or like me gave my original 21 year old Steam account to my 12 year old son.
 
Armadillo said:
Debit card does work (for now), but I doubt they will ask again even if they close they loophole. It's also only a credit card, so if you don't have a credit card and they close the debit loophole, you are shafted as they offer no other options.

Still a joke, 20 year old account, but maybe you made it before you were born, so have to ask.
Click to expand...
I mean anywhere where you have an account that would be old enough to go to university should by default be ok.

But that would be commonsense, not sure it applies in the current climate.
 
throwaway4372 said:
Quite a few ppl saying they don't have credit cards, that's absolutely crazy. It's always been safer to use a credit card online because if money is nicked it's the banks not yours. Nobody should be using a debit card online.
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I've never bothered with a credit card, I usually use PayPal or similar online so as to avoid exposing my debit card details, probably have to sort that now with the OSA rubbish. Still won't stop kids borrowing their parents card details and/or photo to work around these restrictions.
 
adidan said:
I mean anywhere where you have an account that would be old enough to go to university should by default be ok.

But that would be commonsense, not sure it applies in the current climate.
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They still have to check to be compliant - they have no way of knowing if the account is still in the control of the original account holder.
 
Rroff said:
They still have to check to be compliant - they have no way of knowing if the account is still in the control of the original account holder.
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Seems ok for other places. Nexusmods won't age check you if you have an account older than 10 years, somewhere else is doing similar (newgrounds maybe, can't remember).

Also how is that any different from any other check?

How do they know the credit card belongs to who is actually using the account?
How do they know the id used is actually the person using the account?
How is a random email age estimation ok, an email that could have changed hands, but account age is not enough.

Every method falls over on the "could be someone else using it after it's been verified".
 
Not a huge surprise after the Gamepass email earlier this week. It will be Sky Movies, Netflix and Prime etc next, you'll have to provide proof that you are over 18 to watch an 18 movie on streaming channels
 
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Armadillo said:
Seems ok for other places. Nexusmods won't age check you if you have an account older than 10 years, somewhere else is doing similar (newgrounds maybe, can't remember).

Also how is that any different from any other check?

How do they know the credit card belongs to who is actually using the account?
How do they know the id used is actually the person using the account?
How is a random email age estimation ok, an email that could have changed hands, but account age is not enough.

Every method falls over on the "could be someone else using it after it's been verified".
Click to expand...

Other places likely aren't compliant with the letter of the act, the issue of who is actually behind the ID is another problem again and why some have been saying how bad the OSA is.
 
adidan said:
And that was your choice for your kid as a parent.
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Yes, but the point is the age of the account is not proof of age for the person using it.

That’s like saying a learner driver must be really experienced if they drive a 15 year old Fiesta.

I’m not arguing it’s a great idea, just the logical failure to assume an account that is 20 years old must be owned or used by an adult over 18.
 
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