Requiring birthday upon registration

**Frank** · 06-30-2008, 04:38 PM

OK, here is one man's view on forums that require you to fill out your birthday in order to register. I find this annoying. I think that kind of personal information, for security reasons alone, should be totally optional, never mind required. I always make up a fake birthday in those cases anyway. So now the forum will honor my fake birthday if they do that type of thing in PMs, threads, or indicated in their stats area.

What is your view on that?

Cliff · 06-30-2008, 08:51 PM

How to Comply With

That's why it's sometimes required. It's just one of those child safety sort of laws from what I know.

**Rizzo** · 06-30-2008, 09:13 PM

I run an adult site, and feel i have every right to ask for it, for my protection.

**Frank** · 07-01-2008, 01:54 AM

True, for an adult site, no doubt. I was talking about general sites. I also didn't think about using it as a way to verify age - excellent point!

**Moelman** · 07-01-2008, 05:43 AM

Yeah, I know some sites use it for the COPPA laws, but tbh I agree with you Frank that I find it annoying when I am required to enter my birthday. I wouldn't consider myself young on most forums I visit but one thing is that I'd rather people not know how old I am so they don't make assumptions. This kind of feeling goes away as I get to know a community better though.

**Naijaboy** · 10-06-2008, 09:18 PM

i guess there is really no way to find out if members register with fake ages. most younger people want to get on but their original ages won't let them. older users don't want to use their real ages because they know the security risks associated with it.

**Frank** · 10-06-2008, 09:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Moelman

Yeah, I know some sites use it for the COPPA laws, but tbh I agree with you Frank that I find it annoying when I am required to enter my birthday. I wouldn't consider myself young on most forums I visit but one thing is that I'd rather people not know how old I am so they don't make assumptions. This kind of feeling goes away as I get to know a community better though.

Funny, since my post I have ran into this a few more times and still get annoyed, heh. Can't a site just ask if you are over a certain age, where you click a button agreeing? I can't see how that is less reliable than a fake birthday.

I find it annoying, what can I say. I feel it is no one's business and that revealing private or personal info should be optional, not something I have to do to join a stupid forum (my own included).

More annoying are these emails I get asking if there is something they can do to get me back since I've been gone a while - but that's for another thread.

**Sir TVDinner** · 10-07-2008, 12:20 AM

I always enter a fake birth date anyway so what does it matter ultimately.

vbplusme · 10-07-2008, 02:06 PM

LOL, I think the birthday is a pita too BUT on my site and other sites that I work on , its a way to filter spammers. Some of the really stupid ones always use the same birthday, shotguns the site with different IP addresses, usernames, but ALWAYS uses the same birthday. In some cases, without that stupid birthday, they leave nothing in the footprint that you can filter for so I am happy to have it there mostly from an administrative side, however.

LOL...

**markblair** · 10-09-2008, 08:09 AM

On my last forum I had COPPA enabled but the one I run now I never turned it on.

We are geared toward adults anyway so hopefully I'm not breaking any laws by not enforcing COPPA?

06-30-2008, 04:38 PM	#1
Frank Apprentice Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 338	Requiring birthday upon registration OK, here is one man's view on forums that require you to fill out your birthday in order to register. I find this annoying. I think that kind of personal information, for security reasons alone, should be totally optional, never mind required. I always make up a fake birthday in those cases anyway. So now the forum will honor my fake birthday if they do that type of thing in PMs, threads, or indicated in their stats area. What is your view on that? __________________ On & off your site, recognize your most valuable asset: contributors. A little award can go a long way. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

06-30-2008, 09:13 PM	#3
Rizzo Veteran Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: New Zealand Posts: 783	I run an adult site, and feel i have every right to ask for it, for my protection. __________________ To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. - We're Virtually Family To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. - For The Modern Dad

07-01-2008, 01:54 AM	#4
Frank Apprentice Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 338	True, for an adult site, no doubt. I was talking about general sites. I also didn't think about using it as a way to verify age - excellent point! __________________ On & off your site, recognize your most valuable asset: contributors. A little award can go a long way. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

07-01-2008, 05:43 AM	#5
Moelman The Webmaster Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Michigan, USA Posts: 3,328	Yeah, I know some sites use it for the COPPA laws, but tbh I agree with you Frank that I find it annoying when I am required to enter my birthday. I wouldn't consider myself young on most forums I visit but one thing is that I'd rather people not know how old I am so they don't make assumptions. This kind of feeling goes away as I get to know a community better though. __________________ To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. - The Largest LucasArts Gaming Community on the Internet To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. - tell me your comments! To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. - Your #1 place to discuss all things World of Warcraft.

10-06-2008, 09:18 PM	#6
Naijaboy Groupie Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Atlanta, GA Posts: 39	i guess there is really no way to find out if members register with fake ages. most younger people want to get on but their original ages won't let them. older users don't want to use their real ages because they know the security risks associated with it. __________________ Looking for something or trying to be found? To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

06-30-2008, 08:51 PM	#2
Cliff Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 100	How to Comply With That's why it's sometimes required. It's just one of those child safety sort of laws from what I know.

10-07-2008, 12:20 AM	#8
Sir TVDinner Veteran Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: USA Posts: 960	I always enter a fake birth date anyway so what does it matter ultimately. __________________ To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. Promote your forum for FREE. Directory for Forums. OVER 2000 forums currently on the Forum Directory. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

10-07-2008, 02:06 PM	#9
vbplusme Lurker Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: vbplusme.com Posts: 3	LOL, I think the birthday is a pita too BUT on my site and other sites that I work on , its a way to filter spammers. Some of the really stupid ones always use the same birthday, shotguns the site with different IP addresses, usernames, but ALWAYS uses the same birthday. In some cases, without that stupid birthday, they leave nothing in the footprint that you can filter for so I am happy to have it there mostly from an administrative side, however. LOL...

10-09-2008, 08:09 AM	#10
markblair Forum Addict Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Michigan Posts: 1,956	On my last forum I had COPPA enabled but the one I run now I never turned it on. We are geared toward adults anyway so hopefully I'm not breaking any laws by not enforcing COPPA? __________________ Mark Blair To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. - "Where Professionals Discuss Web Hosting"

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