This appears to be a direct consequence of a recent settlement with the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC), which had charged HoYoverse with deceiving minors into spending for their loot boxes. The Chinese developer was subsequently banned from selling them to users under 16 without a parent’s express consent, paid a $20 million fine to the FTC, and was also subject to the following stipulations:
- Prohibited from selling loot boxes using virtual currency without providing an option for consumers to purchase them directly with real money;
- Prohibited from misrepresenting loot box odds, prices and features;
- Required to disclose loot box odds and exchange rates for multi-tiered virtual currency;
- Required to delete any personal information previously collected from children under 13 unless they obtain parental consent to retain such data; and
- Required to comply with COPPA, including its notice and consent requirements.
@Die4Ever@retrolemmy.com @JoMiran@lemmy.ml
The why is rarely argued. The how is always the point of contention. That’s why I am wondering what they are asking for age verification.
I don’t understand what you mean. They’re clearly requesting ages over 13 and disabling purchases for those under 16.
I am asking how will they verify the age?
EDIT: I think you might be misunderstanding the grammar. I am not asking “what for”. “What for” = “why”. I am asking “what do they want as a form of age verification”.
But the adults, they weren’t deceived in any way. Hoyo scammed them fair and square.
Ban the entire business model.
No laws against that (lootboxing), yet, and I doubt EA doesn’t have their lobbyists against such laws if enacted. It’s also something that has existed so long as to become a cornerstone of mobile gaming… well, a cornerstone outside of the stupid Voodoo dot-io kind, anyways. While extremely unethical IMO I wouldn’t call it any more deceptive than any regular casino, that is.
I don’t understand. For spending money one requires banking/card information. How children will get their guardian’s banking details without their consent?
Have you paid for things on mobile in-app? The operating system stores your info behind a password (or biometric) because adults (non-gambling as well) also hate having to memorize 16 digits flawlessly every time they needed to make payments.
I’ve refused to move my payment from password to biometrics purely because I’ll spend more if I don’t have to type out my 22 character password. A few times I’ve gone to buy something and seen the password field pop up and just like… uhh cbf.
And then saved like $30.
Why would parents’ payment info be stored in child’s device or user account?
What are they requesting for age verification?
TDLR: “If you don’t give us PII information within a made up deadline, we will deny you access to any content you paid in the past.”
A settlement with the FTC is not some “made up deadline” Hoyo can change.
TBF the FTC is currently the least legitimate it has ever been as an organization
Blame the US for declaring that US minors are too stupid and US parents too neglectful to pay attention to what is purchased online.
They have to kick off kids from their game, legally, and nearly all mobile and online games that have any way to spend real money will be doing the same within the next year.
They have to kick off kids from their game, legally, and nearly all mobile and online games that have any way to spend real money will be doing the same within the next year.
Good. Gambling is illegal for minors under the age of 18.
Most of the game isn’t gambling, to pretend otherwise is just silly. It’s like being one of those idiots that pretend counterstrike is gambling.
Force government ID and I’m out. Max I’m giving you is DOB.
… And I don’t even play anymore
I give websites as little personally identifiable information as I reasonably can. It takes 33 bits of personal info to narrow you down to one individual, and I’m already open about the fact that I’m a white guy in my late twenties living in the north side of Wichita Kansas. That already narrows me down to one of like 50,000 people
