Age / ID Verification software?

[BarebackJack]

Hey guys,

I noticed that Men4SexNow is using a neat little ID / Age checking program, whereby you type your first and last name into a form, along with your birthdate and zip code listed on your driver's license. The info gets checked against state records so that if you put in any false info (fake name, wrong b-date, wrong ZIP) you'll receive an error message and another try at it. If you don't pass, you don't get into their site.

It's pretty cool, and I am wondering where this program came from, who has it, and how to get ahold of it. Also, is it limited to residents of the US only? The least expensive method is of course the most desired.

Anyone know anything about this?

[gaybucks_chip]

Hey guys,

I noticed that Men4SexNow is using a neat little ID / Age checking program, whereby you type your first and last name into a form, along with your birthdate and zip code listed on your driver's license. The info gets checked against state records so that if you put in any false info (fake name, wrong b-date, wrong ZIP) you'll receive an error message and another try at it. If you don't pass, you don't get into their site.

It's pretty cool, and I am wondering where this program came from, who has it, and how to get ahold of it. Also, is it limited to residents of the US only? The least expensive method is of course the most desired.

Anyone know anything about this?

We had dinner with the owners of that site at Gay Phoenix Forum. It's an outsourced service that charges on a per-inquiry basis, and they have a couple of different levels of verification that you can choose from.

I don't remember how much it was, but something like 25 cents sticks in my mind for some reason. I will ask AJ, I'm sure he will remember the company who provided the service.

[BarebackJack]

Thanks Chip,

I'll look forward to whatever info you can dig up.

[John]

Here's a company that has a silimar program:
http://www.idology.com/age.html

[padabum]

the question is: do you just want to limit your site to amricans? if yes... you´ll be fine with that. if no, you´ll lock out the rest of the world.

[gaybucks_chip]

I believe there are some options that cover the majority of Europe and some other countries out there. (Still trying to get the info, btw)

The other option would be to use geotracking so that surfers originating from the US have to go through the verification process but surfers originating elsewhere do not. Of course, it isn't foolproof... a surfer using a proxy could get around it... but you've shown a good faith attempt to do what you can to limit access, and that would go a long way.

[jim1506]

I am in the UK and it certainly won't work for here as it is illegal to sell driving license information. It can only be accessed by the authorities so such information would exclude the UK - and I imagine most of Europe.

[Patrikyyz]

Hey guys,

I noticed that Men4SexNow is using a neat little ID / Age checking program, whereby you type your first and last name into a form, along with your birthdate and zip code listed on your driver's license. The info gets checked against state records so that if you put in any false info (fake name, wrong b-date, wrong ZIP) you'll receive an error message and another try at it. If you don't pass, you don't get into their site.

It's pretty cool, and I am wondering where this program came from, who has it, and how to get ahold of it. Also, is it limited to residents of the US only? The least expensive method is of course the most desired.

Anyone know anything about this?

The feeling is the same for Canada., and actually maybe even worse...Just recently (a couple of weeks ago), there were a number of online security information breaches with a very large national Bank and Government Offices whereby customer information was compromised.

D.L. and all other sources of personal information are a very big sticky issue with privacy here in Canada, and its heating up again.

Unless you have expressed consent from the surfer to collect the information, I don't see an everyday surfer popping his info into an "adult site" that he hasn't even joined yet...not knowing where the info is headed and to what end...With identity theft and the like, just lurking around every corner...

I will would not provide my personal info online to enter adult site that I am not yet a member, so I'm not sure that I could expect potential customers and surfers to do the same on mine...

[gaybucks_chip]

Unless you have expressed consent from the surfer to collect the information, I don't see an everyday surfer popping his info into an "adult site" that he hasn't even joined yet...not knowing where the info is headed and to what end...With identity theft and the like, just lurking around every corner...

I will would not provide my personal info online to enter adult site that I am not yet a member, so I'm not sure that I could expect potential customers and surfers to do the same on mine...

The cool thing about some of these developing open standards identity solutions is the surfer never gives information to the adult site at all... in fact, other than for chargeback reasons, the surfer would never even have to give the information to the billing provider. The idea is there is a trusted third party (similar to domain registrars for the domain name system) that verifies the identity of the surfer, and that trusted party authenticates the fact that the surfer is of age, and if payment processing is required, potentially the third party can actually facilitate providing the card info to CCBill, without even CCBill knowing the identity of the surfer.

There would be multiple identity registrars and a common DNS-like registry that would point to the responsible registrar for a given person's identity verification.

I don't understand all the ins and outs, but it sounds like a very solid system that can't be monopolized by one company (which is why Microsoft Passport was such a flop) and since the registrar is bonded and accredited by a standards body, there's a degree of trust that isn't there if the info is just given to some random adult site.

The end-to-end solution doesn't exist yet, but all of the pieces are there, and the identity verification functions potentially work for almost all of Europe, the US and Canada. I'm hoping that some of the vendors working on the technology will be able to convince Epoch or CCBill to invest in making this possible, I think it would be an excellent self-regulation move by the industry, and serve the needs of helping to keep underage surfers out as well as reducing fraud.

[BarebackJack]

... Unless you have expressed consent from the surfer to collect the information, I don't see an everyday surfer popping his info into an "adult site" that he hasn't even joined yet...not knowing where the info is headed and to what end...With identity theft and the like, just lurking around every corner...

I will would not provide my personal info online to enter adult site that I am not yet a member, so I'm not sure that I could expect potential customers and surfers to do the same on mine...

Well, as I said, men4sexnow is using it, and it doesn't appear that it's hurt their business tremendously if at all. I think the thing here is that if men want to have access to your site and the services it provides, they will do what's required of them. All they are asking for is name, birthdate, and ZIP/postal code. Your personal address and SSN are not required. That may take the sting out of it for most men.

Perplexing to me is that m4sn doesn't specifically state who is verifying the information for them, so it is probably assumed by most that they are collecting the information, not a third party (although it can be assumed that a third party verifies the info). As well, they don't put that screen up until you have created an account and respond to the verification email they send out. I don't know why this is. I would think that it would be more user-friendly to put it right up front BEFORE one goes through all the work of creating a screen name/password and profile.

Perhaps there is a psychology involved... that if the user goes through all the trouble of creating his account he will be more likely to follow through with the verification than if he encounters it prior to spending the time and effort. I don't know. I would be curious to know the rationale behind their placement of this verification screen.

In any case, it seems to be working for them. I still am curious as to why they don't identify who the "engine" behind the screening process is. (you know... "powered by xyz services" or "verified through xyz services", or something like that)

So Chip... any luck finding out WHO offers this? It seems you know a bit about the mechanics of it...