

Ask HN: Why does Google+ have an age requirement and when will it end? - solipsist

Google+ requires users to be of 18 years or older. Previous Google products have not had this requirement (e.g. Google Wave). Why did Google choose to do this and when do you think they will get rid of that limitation.
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ajdecon
From some posts on the Google+ discussion forum
([https://groups.google.com/a/googleproductforums.com/forum/?h...](https://groups.google.com/a/googleproductforums.com/forum/?hl=en#!topic/google-
plus-discuss/RTh_laUTRFo)): Google+ will likely have an 18+ requirement
throughout the Limited Field Trial as they are still building the safety
features for minors. Over the years there have a been a number of poor
interactions between social networks and the laws regarding minors, and Google
probably wants to try to head those off as much as possible.

Probably due to US law, the same posts say Google+ will not be open at all for
people under 13.

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coryl
Legalities most likely. Serving a younger audience usually requires specific
privacy features and guidelines.

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solipsist
But this seems like something they would have known before. Why did Google
Wave not have similar restrictions?

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ig1
The same reason Google Docs didn't, a social network is substantially
different from a collaboration platform.

It may be for social reasons rather than legalities, it'd be very easy for a
third party to run a smear campaign targeting Google+ for failing to protect
minors and allowing predators to target them through the service.

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Raphael
It is an odd requirement. Situations like this just lead to people lying about
their age.

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solipsist
Not exactly. I am under 18 and have found no easy way to make my way around
their age requirement. Your age is tied to your Google Account from the moment
you created it and there is currently no way to ever change it.

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icebraining
Why would you ever choose to put your real age? Until I was over 18, my age on
most websites was around 90.

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solipsist
Why wouldn't I? Plus, _Raphael_ suggested that Google's action would _lead_ to
people lying about their ages - which hinted that their was a way for people
to change their ages on their Google accounts after the fact. I was simply
responding to that question.

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odlogan
Orkut, as I recall, had the same requirement; didn't it?

