let’s not forget there are parental controls on phones/ipads/tablets to block out every app that’s not kid ratings to make sure they don’t get on games/apps that can harm them.. but with the age gap lowering in the App Store/play store to a kid rating well… there will definitely be more minors on this game than ever before let’s just put it that way🙁 #harmful for kids.
Then you at least have enough proof to show you had no bad intentions if it ever went to legal action and can be seen as just a bad thing that happened after you made a reasonable attempt to make sure they were legit
so tldr you guys noticed that 13-17 year olds are a potential new source of cashflow & wanted to get more players bc a 13+ app store rating has more reach
Yeah this. Thats probably why they are making/made the ec dn change through the appstore. They wont have to scroll past the possible r rated stats or avis its just strictly currency and dn. Kids can ask for gift cards that will allow them to then get the avis and what not...
And you think Akon was the only one who got fucked over, or do you think that those who were supposed to make sure minors didn't enter the club also had a bad half-hour? IT'S EXACTLY WHAT I AM SAYING. Maybe I'm not able to explain myself, maybe my translator doesn't translate the same words I use, but... Right, wrong, agreeable or not, whether I make a joke in a club on this app, or on the street, to a friend of mine, there is still the risk that a child will hear me. Does this make me a predator? No. Same thing if I am in a 21+ club, hitting on someone and a minor, who shouldn't be there, hear me. Does this make me a predator? No. Unfortunately, it's not how it works here. Cause you all are going on talking about real life, but the context is completely different. Since we all started reporting predators (RIGHTLY!), there are also people who have realized that that label makes a lot of noise and creates indignation and who, therefore, have started abusing it, sometimes even just to find a fake excuse for sfw. A friend of mine was once telling how her office hours had been cut in half, and so she was thinking of starting dogsitting and babysitting cause she likes dogs and kids. They called her "predator", but not zoophilic, just predator, completely ignoring half the conversation just to throw shit at her. She has received lot of bullying and hate for that and she quitted. You imagine this psychosis, from now on. I love to help new members when I can, because I wish I had someone to help me when I first started. But now I don't know if I want to do it. As I told you in the example, even if I add a new player, JUST TO HELP HIM and become friends with them, if tomorrow it becomes known that they are a minor and that we talked every day, that label will be stuck on me. Because just knowing that I was in the DMs of a minor (even if without my knowledge) would make people say: "Well, only a predator would write to a minor." Even though I've done nothing wrong. And this is a serious thing, not a game. So, no. I disagree. It's not always our responsability. And in this case, minors are a danger for adults too, as I am saying from the beginning. And this can also lead to the opposite problem! Real predators might use the "I didn't know" excuse. Or the REAL allegations might be understated. Here, we use the example of Pierino and the wolf. Pierino always shouted "there's a wolf!" to prank the others. The others believed him the first time, the second, the third... But when the wolf really arrived, no one believed him anymore. You and I are partly saying the same thing. It is partly the children's responsibility. If I know it's illegal to steal, but decide to do so, it's my responsibility. Whether I'm 13 or 25. Part of it is certainly the adults' responsibility. Although, as I am, I'm so naive that if I make a joke in CC to a friend, I do it on the fly. I don't start thinking, "Wait, there could be a twelve-year-old!" And I don't do it with bad intentions. I just don't think about it. And I like to think that in most cases, most people are like me, with no bad intentions. But, certainly, most of the responsibility lies with ATA. They put in place a lot of restrictions just to say, "We did our part," and then wash their hands of it. It's a false protection for minors because they know full well that these restrictions won't keep minors away, but will push them to lie. We've all been teenagers. We all know how it works, including ATA. And still: soft RP is allowed in a public channel, RP clubs are allowed, etc...
THIS TOO. Do we want to talk about PIMD spots on socials? They totally make PIMD look like a game for kids.
Another question will the kids see the part to join disc on load up screen??? You've taken that away right?
If you’re so concerned about this, read up on Discord’s own parental and teen-safety controls. 13–17-year-olds have teen accounts with built-in protections: 18+ servers and channels are blocked, sensitive content is filtered by default, and there are additional safeguards around DMs and friend requests. Parents can also use Family Center to see which servers their teen joins and who they interact with. And even if the PIMD Discord isn’t age-restricted, a teenager’s Discord account doesn’t suddenly become an adult account. Those protections are still there. The PIMD server is also moderated, and mods are regularly around. I actually support removing the Discord button. But given how popular Discord is with teens, there’s no guarantee they won’t find it themselves or end up in unofficial or poorly moderated PIMD servers. Bans create workarounds and can push kids toward less safe alternatives, so teach them how to navigate online spaces safely instead. ATA has responsibilities, sure. But they’re not your child’s internet nanny. Discord has safety tools. Use them.
Tbh I get your intent. I don't disagree with some of your points either, and I don't think you're actually far off from where the future is probably headed on this. The only distinction I'd make is that this is more of a platform-level solution than something the app handles itself. Apple has already introduced adult verification in places like Texas, where new users can confirm they're 18+ using a government ID or another accepted method, and then the App Store passes an age bracket to apps like PIMD instead of the ID itself. Brazil has also adopted a similar platform-level age assurance system, and Google is rolling out similar age assurance systems where laws require them. More countries are also adopting or exploring this model, so it's entirely possible it becomes much more widespread over time. So I wouldn't want PIMD collecting IDs itself, but the broader idea of verifying your age through the platform first using a government ID is already becoming a real direction regulators and tech companies are moving toward.
This is actually wrong. Noticing that kids are playing is not a reason to change the game age rating. The game age rating is based on a games content. This game is not for kids in any way. Compare this to say gta. Everyone knows kids still play that game even kids as young as 5. That doesnt mean its now a g rated game. It has always been and will always be a 18+ game due to the content of the game. You have changed the rating purely to open it up to more engagement and more people to get more money. You are a gaming business so the point is to make money. Everyone gets that part. But at least be fuckn honest about it to your players. You have people who have been on this game longer then some of the kids joining this game have even been alive for. Show some fuckn respect to the people who helped keep your company alive and just tell the truth about what you are doing. Its only going to take a few reports to the app stores for exposing kids to adult content for your companys existence to be at risk. You are making alot of people angry at the moment and you have seen how psycho people on the internet can be. Do you really want that directed towards yourself?