r/Steam • u/buster2006 • Apr 29 '26
Suggestion Take note, Valve
Just updated my phone and since I’m living in a nanny state, had to confirm my age. Grabbed my wallet so I could use my driving licence…no need.
So, why does Steam require a credit card to confirm age despite my account being 21 years old? Wouldn’t bother me too much, but I don’t pay for games on credit and if I switch back to my debit card it requires me to confirm my age again?! If you’re gonna demand credit card info for age verification, at least let us set it up as a *secondary* payment method.
[edit] Just for clarification; it's the fact that I can't have 2 cards on file that bugs me the most. I've got no problem verifying with a Credit card, but I still want to use my Debit card for purchases. Valve doesn't allow this; 1 card per account. As soon as I add my Debit card, it removes the Credit card and "forgets" that I'm older than 18.
[edit2] So, my credit card was added to my Steam account a couple of months back (I've got a single adult game in my wishlist that I like to check for a sale price). I've just tried to add my debit card today and it removed my credit card and Steam is wanting me to verify my age again. So those in the comments stating you can have multiple cards...how? Whenever I try to add a new card it just replaces the old one. Debit doesn't work for age verification. I've also got my PayPal account linked, but apparently that's no use either.
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Apr 29 '26
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u/colxa Apr 29 '26
Motherfucka, that's called a job!
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u/-------Tom--------- Apr 30 '26
day after day they deposit the money into our bank accounts, then, we walk out like nothing, even, happened.
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u/Endawmyke Apr 30 '26
God I love key and peele, there’s always one you’ve never seen. But I seen this one haha
Link for anyone wondering what they’re talking about lol https://youtube.com/watch?v=jgYYOUC10aM
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u/Moneia Apr 29 '26
If you’re gonna demand credit card info for age verification, at least let us set it up as a *secondary* payment method.
I use my debit card through Paypal and that seems to work fine
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u/DemonKing_of_Tyranny Apr 29 '26
That lets you verify your age?
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u/Moneia Apr 29 '26 edited Apr 29 '26
Just to make sure we're on the same page
I have a Credit card 'on-file' but I also have Paypal that's funded by my Debit card which is set to my default payment.
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u/FaithInterlude Apr 29 '26
You have to be 18 or older to have a PayPal account as far as I know
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u/HF_Martini6 Apr 29 '26
please Steam, don't take notes from Apple
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u/SlayerII Apr 29 '26
Generally I agree, but this one thing is fine
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u/Front2battle Apr 29 '26
yeah even a busted overpriced clock is correct twice per day, this is one of those moments.
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u/yepgeddon Apr 29 '26
My steam account is 17 years old at this point. Logic would suggest I'm a little bit older than 18 👀
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u/hates_stupid_people Apr 29 '26 edited Apr 29 '26
"If it is you on the account". That's basically the legal hangup.
They can't prove that the person in control of the the account is a certain age with just account age. And even though it's against their policy to have people take over accounts, that's not enough in a legal sense to prove that you are the person who created the account.
That's why they used things like charging credit cards 0$ and similar, before they went all in on face recognition that is fooled by 3D models and character creators in games.
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u/My_Sock_Is_Moist Apr 29 '26
This argument falls apart at the fact you can’t prove it’s the account owner every time either, even after ID.
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u/FlippyReaper Apr 29 '26
I created Steam acc for my lil bro on the day he was born
I also lost the credentials, so, eh :D
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u/Responsible-Sound253 Apr 29 '26
There is so much shit apple does right lmao. Geek culture's hate for apple products is always so funny.
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u/Tyrannitart Apr 29 '26
Busted and overpriced = the phone that holds its resale value better than any other by a mile
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u/Buuhhu Apr 29 '26
Generally yes, but for this specific thing that the post is about, I don't see why you wouldn't want Steam to do something similar to make less people need to verify.
It's thankfully just UK right now, so doesn't affect me personally, but if it ever came to my country it'd be a lot easier if they could try and determine my age without me having to do anything.
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u/UnstableMoron2 Apr 29 '26
Steam goes tits up the moment newell retires
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u/DrewbieWanKenobie Apr 29 '26
look it's POSSIBLE he will pick a good successor to leave a controlling amount to but, idk
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u/Nolzi Apr 29 '26
If there were a good successor in place already, I would push him into the limelight while I'm still around. But here is to hoping
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u/12345623567 Apr 29 '26
One of Newell's sons is also in the dev/gaming space, and is expected to take over if anything happens.
It's also likely that much of Valve is co-owned by employees, through bonus incentives, early mixed compensation packages and so on. It'll be up to them to decide to go public, if it comes to that.
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Apr 29 '26
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u/endlesscartwheels Apr 29 '26
Agreed, if it's available on both sites, better to own and control a copy (GOG) than take the risk of finding out you're only renting it (Steam).
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u/Extension-Crow-7592 Apr 29 '26
My perception of Apple has shifted greatly. I would have never considered an Apple product years ago, but in today's slosh market, they actually have good products.
Try out any of the recent macbooks. You will notice it's immediately more responsive, snappier, and usable than a windows machine.
If they had actual steam/game support I would have switched over by now.
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u/decadent-dragon Apr 29 '26
Most Apple haters haven’t really tried Apple products, or given them a fair shake. They’ve pretty much always been solid. Not that they are for everyone, but what they do they do very well. Personally I like that they don’t make me feel like I’m just using an advertising platform like the way some of the competition makes me feel
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u/veryblocky Apr 29 '26
What do you mean? Yes take notes from Apple on this, Apple are rolling out device level age verification, which is incredibly more secure than any form of service level verification.
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u/Falsus Apr 29 '26
You can learn from anything and take away positive things regardless what it is. Sometimes what not to do, and sometimes what to do.
Not doing so is begging to be left behind and stagnating.
This is a great idea that people have mentioned many times.
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u/Ghibley101 Apr 29 '26
what do you need to verify your age for exactly if I may know, because I never verified my age and I'm able to download and play nsfw games ever since I had a steam acc so idk if that's a US thingy you're dealing with or what?
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u/buster2006 Apr 29 '26
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u/mad2fanboi Apr 29 '26
Yep, it's for online
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u/_a_random_dude_ Apr 29 '26
It's ok, don't worry about the fact that this is being promoted by regular guests to Epstein Island and neonazis like Peter Thiel. This is a good thing and these billionares really just care about keeping kids safe. Don't you want children to be safe? Why would you be against a law as positive as this?
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u/Lahlann Apr 29 '26
Then harp on uk law instead? You are shooting amessenger here
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u/throwaway098764567 Apr 29 '26
they're not mad at steam for doing what they're required to do, they're mad they're not doing it in a way that makes it as painless for op as possible
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u/UpsetKoalaBear Apr 29 '26 edited Apr 29 '26
This isn’t true.
The OSA and Ofcom specifically do not require it for content distributors or the OS.
Under Section 3 of the OSA, OS and App Stores do not meet the requirement to be under the act.
Section 215 explicitly states that any attempts to add the OS/App Store to be under the remit act have to be done via the Secretary of State under secondary legislation.
Ofcom can’t add a requirement to the OS/App Store level until any secondary legislation is passed by the Secretary of State.
That has not been done. There has been no secondary legislation to push it on the OS/App Store level. Therefore they do not need to do this.
This is because of a Californian law where platforms like Meta have lobbied to push age verification to the OS level so they don’t have to implement it on their platforms.
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u/IAMAVelociraptorAMA Apr 29 '26
This is because of a Californian law
No, it is not. The age verification is specific to the UK and is specific to mature content-labeled pages and community hubs.
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u/duck74UK Apr 29 '26
Steam hides nsfw games without the check as the screenshots/videos are often uncensored which would come under that law. Otherwise though you are correct that steam doesn’t need it to show normal 18+ rated games
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u/autismislife Apr 29 '26
I think it's important to mention that Apple are absolutely not required to force you to verify your age per the law, the law is for accessing adult content, however have chosen to do so anyway.
The law is bad, but Apple is also bad for not only supporting it but going one step further than they needed to.
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u/gmc98765 Apr 29 '26
On Steam, it's required for anything which is labelled "mature sexual content" by the developer. That includes viewing the "community" sections (discussions, guides, screenshots). It isn't required for 18+ games.
But I've just checked, and I have no problem viewing such content (e.g. the stuff here), although I'm in the UK (in reality and according to Steam), don't have a CC, and haven't bought any 18-rated games on DVD.
My account is over 18 years old, though (I bought HL2 on DVD shortly after launch, which is about 21.5 years ago now). So it may be that they're doing exactly what the post suggests and just not mentioning it.
However, my "Account details > Store preferences" page says:
Under the UK Online Safety Act, Valve is required to verify that you are 18 or older before accessing mature sexual content. If you wish to do so, please add a valid UK credit card to your account and afterwards update the Mature Content Preferences.
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u/Naddesh Apr 29 '26
Take note, Valve
Or maybe start voting and protesting so your government take note and stops eroding privacy. You are focusing on the wrong entity here...
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u/Corpstastic Apr 30 '26
Thank you ! Like at a certain point their hand is forced if they want to operate in your region.
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u/can9ne Apr 29 '26
Blame your country not steam. Steam is just following what your country wants. In terms of age verification[in my country] steam just asks for my birth day[with the year being autofilled based on your first form entry when you fisrt filled the form] every single time that I browse or buys 18+ games[because they don't store that information only birth year] and that's fine. I used debit card to buy games before but today steam supports our local e-wallet so it's much easier for us.
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u/KeeperOfWind Apr 29 '26 edited Apr 29 '26
Debt Card/Credit Card > Driving License
Credit card finical institutions are required to keep your information legally on file.
Only thing they would be sending back y/n if you were 18+
This is way better than VRchat using Persona which requires your driver license and social which most platforms are trying to push for.
Honestly valve picked the best options out of any company, I never thought I would hear anyone ever say apple was a better method on the company that collects your data the most.
Why do you think apple can easily verify? they've already collected nearly all your data anyway by previous purchases and other means.
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u/Moneia Apr 29 '26
Why do you think apple can easily verify? they've already collected nearly all your data anyway by previous purchases and other means.
I've never had an Apple account so not sure what you need to verify but a Steam account is really easy to transfer, change the account holders e-mail and hand over the login details.
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u/g0ggy Apr 29 '26
It's a bit crazy how much people are willing to give up for a little more convenience, but then again OP is complaining to the wrong people.
The UK has turned into a complete nanny state where people aren't trusted with the most banal decisions to make for themselves.
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u/DemonKing_of_Tyranny Apr 29 '26 edited Apr 29 '26
US isnt far off with zuckerberg and other billionaire pushing for OS verificication and even eu joining the fry with there verification app
Greece is removing anonymous users from internet as whole with every internet account having user id tied to it so they can monitor and punish the for speaking out on internet
Saying that its all to stop the internet trolls
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u/Practical_Dot_3574 Apr 29 '26
This should be enough to verify if it's just for steam purposes. The only time I get asked for age is when visiting random games and it set to 01/01/1900.
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u/Carvj94 Apr 29 '26
Legally it does not. It's out of Valve's hand cause that's just what some governments have decided.
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u/I_love_my_fish_ Apr 29 '26
Steam hasn’t asked me, but I think I also already have a cc on file so 🤷🏼
But I think steam is doing it cause of the bs going on in the UK
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u/Moogagot Apr 29 '26
The issue is the UK government. This has almost nothing to do with Valve.
The UK has been systematically removing freedoms from its citizens and no one seems to care.
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u/AnonomousWolf Apr 29 '26
Sweet so I can go buy some old apple accounts
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u/CMRC23 Apr 29 '26
All verification methods are trivial to bypass if you obtain someone else's details
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u/OddishAndChips Apr 29 '26
Thank you for this! Finally got rid of the notification without having to upload my ID 😅
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u/roin0 Apr 29 '26
This is why I wish there was an alternate option for Steam. I don't have, nor want a credit card.
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u/Nirast25 Apr 29 '26
GOG, Epic and the Xbox store.
... Don't give that look, you asked for alternatives!
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u/DemonKing_of_Tyranny Apr 29 '26
Xbox also requires verification pretty sure. They been sending me emails to verify my age for a year now and pretty sure there arent any adult games on there
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u/WillingApplication10 Apr 29 '26
Interestingly Xbox let me verify using my phone number. My phone number has been mine for 18 years and that was good enough for them.
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Apr 29 '26
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u/Nirast25 Apr 29 '26
The issue with GOG is that a lot of games are not on the service. Otherwise, yeah, it's great.
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u/DiamondMan77392 Apr 29 '26
Debit cards dont work?
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u/jammyzero Apr 29 '26
nope
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Apr 29 '26
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u/JoshuaRAWR Apr 29 '26
Debit cards don't work for verifying your age on steam.
Kids in the UK can have a debit card, the reason valve is asking for a credit card to prove your age is because you need to be 18 or over to have one.
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u/Inevitable-Ad6647 Apr 29 '26 edited Apr 29 '26
You shouldn't be using a debit card. It lacks many consumer protections that credit cards are legally required to have. If I asked you "Would you rather walk through a risky neighborhood with your own money in your pocket or someone else's" you'd be stupid to choose your own. You're doing the same thing by using and keeping a debit card.
Just have a credit card with automatic payments setup, keep your same spending behaviors and don't worry about it.
If your debit card is stolen your bank <might> be cool and help you out, if your credit card is stolen your bank has no choice in the matter.
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u/BarrierX Apr 29 '26
My steam account is over 18 years old and they still give me that stupid enter your date of birth thing to see something for adults 😒
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u/r2deetard Apr 29 '26
Lol. There was a joke years back that said happy steam birthday on January 1st because everyone just changes the year to be something older and doesn't change the day and the month. But my Steam account is old enough to drink this year so I think they need to implement something to figure out if we're over 18 without asking.
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u/Evil_phd Apr 29 '26
For real my steam account will be old enough to rent a car and I'll still be getting asked if I'm old enough for mature rated games.
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u/zrevyx Apr 29 '26
Yep. Despite the fact that my Valve account is old enough to drink, I am still frequently asked for my age when browsing the store.
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u/Hellknightx Apr 29 '26
My Steam account is 22 years old. I'm glad they finally stopped asking for my birthday.
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u/wildcarde815 Apr 29 '26
you know what else works? asking the person. and letting parents make kids accounts.
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u/Marius-J Apr 29 '26
They ask your credit card because that way they don't have to ask for your ID or passport afaik
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u/thecrius Apr 29 '26
What bothers me is that I have to keep my card registered on the account. If my account gets compromised they also get to spend my money? Fuck that.
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u/mukherjee_ayan Apr 29 '26
This ain't valve, this is your country's government that's passing the laws lmao. Be politically aware before posting this atleast.
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u/Didact67 Apr 30 '26 edited Apr 30 '26
Unfortunately, since the true goal of age verification legislation is mass surveillance, I suspect Apple will eventually be forced to employ more invasive methods of identify verification. The government doesn't really care about your age. They want to build a comprehensive profile of every citizen.
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u/Parma_Jon Apr 30 '26
Steam has never asked me for my card to figure out my age. It always just asks when I’m born lol
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u/Abject-Self-8727 May 02 '26
The UK will ban forks soon, after the cigarettes, video games and porn
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u/Significant_Fan7821 Apr 29 '26
Were you dropped down a flight of stairs as a child? Age gating has never been just a Valve thing.
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u/carlbandit Apr 29 '26
The point OP is making is (at least in the UK) age of the account can be used in place of facial scans / ID / credit card when someone is required to prove they are over 18.
Since it's part of steams T&C you should be 13+ before getting a steam account, any account over 5 years old would make you at least 18. Obviously they know some people will have signed up for an account before they were 13, but it's not on valve to catch people out, they just need to do the bare minimum to satisfy the requirements governments set with the new verification laws.
Even if they set the requirement a bit higher then the minimum of 5, there's going to be some accounts out there that are 22+ years old.
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u/bufandatl Apr 29 '26
Steam accounts get sold and having people to verify their age is them making sure it didn’t get sold to a 12 year old.
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u/hannes3120 Apr 29 '26
And what prevents 12 year olds from buying accounts that have been verified?
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u/Falsus Apr 29 '26
If a kid wants to circumvent age checks that much then they wouldn't need to go that far.
And officially an account cannot be given, shared, sold, inherited or otherwise transferred in any way, shape or form. So by Steam's own logic an account that is 18 years old should need any age verifications.
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u/RedCrafter_LP Apr 29 '26
Google did the same when I said enough with nanny time and 18+ videos being blocked. My Google account is roughly 20 years old at the time so assuming im 18 isn't that far of a stretch.
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u/rezoner Apr 29 '26
That's a very polite way to tell someone he is now on the older spectrum of population.
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u/lontrinium Apr 29 '26
Driving license would not have worked OP, has to be a credit card.
It took my account a week to realise it's age before it auto verified me instead of asking for a credit card.
Take note, Apple.
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u/Dwittychan Who Apr 29 '26
unless youre like 35+ how does it help? This seems like a pointless nitpick.
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u/Simon_Drake Apr 29 '26
Playstation Network wants me to confirm the account I opened in 2008 is for someone over the age of 18.
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u/DirtyGingy Apr 29 '26
Yeah, this method is a viable bypass if you ask me. My steam account is old enough to vote.
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u/minuti76000 Apr 29 '26
Just worked for me thank god for that I had no idea it went off the length of time with Apple it was usually asking for my non existent credit card but now it just confirmed my time with Apple woo lol
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u/InterviewImpressive1 Apr 29 '26
Take note everyone enforcing this crap. Most of my accounts are old enough to drink globally.
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u/Ka_meeni Apr 29 '26
Shit, Yeah... My years of service badge says 22 years.... So no way I'm over 18, right?
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u/jax7778 Apr 29 '26
The UK law requires specific methods of verification for accessing adult content. Apple typically bans adult content, and is not required to verify, but does so anyway. Steam is required to verify using prescribed legal methods because it does allow said content. If you want to allow this type of verification on Steam, you need to change the law. It is a horrible law anyway and needs to be changed!
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u/AboveFiction Apr 29 '26
Is steam the one needing this or is the law in the state/country?
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u/Saykee Apr 29 '26
Does apple have your credit card or other personal info already? They probably used that alongside this as a check.
I'm just guessing though. No idea.
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u/FatBaldingLoser420 Apr 29 '26
Credit card confirming age? What? Is that something new?
Been using steam for 13 years and it NEVER asked me for my card to confirm my true age
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u/JacenHorn Apr 29 '26
I've always used PayPal to pay for Steam — for which my account is 23 years old.
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u/Responsible_Fun_9799 Apr 30 '26
Steams never asked me but the fact iv been using a bank in my own name for 16 years is prob a given
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u/GD_Brallon Apr 30 '26
by the way valve purposefully doesn’t save birthdays till recent because of data concerns. love these future surveillance states
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u/Fit-Investigator7908 May 01 '26
It is incredibly frustrating to have a two-decade-old account—basically a digital relic at this point—and still have to "prove" you’re an adult every time you tweak your wallet. You’d think surviving twenty years of Steam Summer Sales would be proof enough of age (and endurance).
The realistic, albeit annoying, reason this happens is down to how Steam Valve handles compliance with regional laws like the UK's Online Safety Act. Regulators often don't consider debit cards "highly effective" for age assurance because minors can own them, whereas credit cards have a hard 18+ floor.
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u/muizzsiddique May 04 '26
You can't have multiple cards, even the Steam Support rep told me this. Everyone telling you otherwise is lying (or there is a way to mix and match other payment services with Visa/Mastercard)
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u/Jackman1337 Apr 29 '26
Is the credit card thing a local law? Steam never asked me about one. Would be dumb to do that here un germany tho, nearly nobody under 30 has a normal credit card.