Under-18 users request to open up Google+ for them

https://groups.google.com/a/googleproductforums.com/forum/embed/?place=topic%2Fgoogle-plus-discuss%2FRTh_laUTRFo%2Fdiscussion#!topic/google-plus-discuss/RTh_laUTRFo/discussion

by samrat • 15 years ago

41 30 15 years ago

groups.google.com

chunky1994• 15 years ago

It's quite frustrating when you're 17 and can't use it, this is going to make a lot of kids unhappy.

Breefield• 15 years ago

This summarizes everything I feel about the drinking age. Pure frustration and arbitrary dates/ages.

Jach3• 15 years ago

To go off topic some more, but the drinking age isn't as arbitrary as, say, the 'adult age' of 18. I'm pretty sure there's some research that your brain hasn't finished developing until around 21, and possible studies on top of that which suggest early drinking may hurt your brain.

corin_5• 15 years ago

When you word it like that of course it's stupid, but what law would you suggest that doesn't use arbitrary ages? Obviously they don't fit everyone exactly, I know I was drinking before I was 18 and think that was fine, I've also known people who really hadn't matured by the time they were legally adults.

Do you agree that a 40 year old shouldn't be able to have sex with a 6 year old? Do you agree that a ten year old shouldn't be allowed to walk into a shop and buy a packet of cigarettes and a bottle of vodka?

Assuming yes, the only two options are an arbitrary age that won't be perfect for everyone, but will at least protect as many people as possible, or no law, and if shit happens to kids then oh well.

After that you can of course debate where the arbitrary ages are, for example I think it's ridiculous that 21 is the drinking age in America.

brackin• 15 years ago

For some reason me and my friends are in and i'm 17. I don't remember entering my age into Google, I never lied just never entered it. Not sure what their data source it. Once hunch was Google accounts which use YouTube as they have an age limit.

avolcano• 15 years ago

Same here. I just did some poking around for places to put a day of birth into Google or see what my current one is and couldn't find one (not in Google+ or on the Google Accounts page). I have a feeling your YouTube theory is right though; there's a good chance I set mine to be a year older so I could watch the age-restricted videos.

shii• 15 years ago

Same, and I think you're right about them using the Youtube age.

Mithrandir• 15 years ago

Of course, age limits are moot if they've lied about their birthday.

tonfa• 15 years ago

But it's not Google fault if they lied, right? (In case they are for example exposed to 18+ content on Google+)

bdhe• 15 years ago

Moreover, as far as I can tell, there is no way to change your birthday (without involving a credit card #). Heaven forbid you accidentally entered your birthday wrongly the first time, you're locked out with little recourse!

dekz• 15 years ago

Although my heart goes out for William (http://d.pr/41VG), I am quite happy google hasn't offered rich text features in plus.

corin_5• 15 years ago

There are some formatting options available - https://plus.google.com/106788603501468469828/posts/849WcarV...

ttttqqqq• 15 years ago

I love Google marketing, it's like a Soviet propaganda assault. "The masses are clamoring for Google's new product. The next generation has spoken."

jackolas• 15 years ago

I don't understand why they're applying US-centric age restrictions world-wide. There are other countries out there.

corin_5• 15 years ago

The over 18 limit is nothing to do with US law, it's Google making a moral decision (or more accurately, a PR decision that, if they are to have any privacy issues occur, they want to be able ot say "at least no minors were affected").

As to the 13 and over, it's very common for companies to make that a global policy, partly because US isn't the only country to have that law (off the top of my head I can't recall which others do), partly because it's a fairly common sense decision from an adult's point of view, meaning that few would argue against it, many would argue for it on grounds of morality rather than law. And the only people who'll ever complain are a few years away from being able to vote politically or with their wallet, by which time they will be allowed to do whatever they want, and will have stopped caring. So it's pretty win/win.

JulianMorrison• 15 years ago

Ugh. I certainly consider it immoral to lock children away from the ability to talk to one another online.

FreshCode• 15 years ago

This is hilarious! Looks just like my little sister's Facebook feed.

ignifero• 15 years ago

Actually, since google strives to make a difference here, they should cater to kids as well. Teens love social networking and, if anything, google can use its knowledge of the web to provide a safer, child and teen-safe environment even more than facebook did. It's actually going to be impossible to keep teens away if G+ ever becomes trendy.

acak• 15 years ago

While the intention is noble, the illusion of scarcity and exclusivity around G+ that this creates among teens should actually benefit G+ when its finally open to them.

Kids to want to be acknowledged as grown-ups. It frustrates them a lot when someone says they can't have or do something because they're too young. This should increase the desirability factor of G+.

So G+, by using a roll-out strategy that is demographically reversed to Facebook's path (".edu" limitation et al), may still see the same crazed adoption in the teen segment.

Skywing• 15 years ago

How about opening Google+ up to Google Apps accounts, too? Google Apps accounts cannot create Google Profile accounts, which are required for G+.

orenmazor• 15 years ago

Facebook had all kinds of restrictions when it came out. my gf was not in university at the time and was very jealous, apparently, of those of us in facebook (on a highly related note, at that time facebook was just full of nerds and bros)

Under-18 users request to open up Google+ for them

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