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The Babel Prize
Help me figure out how to verify that the age of a site visitor is under 16yrs.
12/14/2007 12:24PM EST
Someone help me. The only way I can think of at the moment is to detect whether the computer being used to access the site is a OLPC-based system.
12/14/2007 7:03PM EST
Simply checking for the OLPC doesn't work; the requirement is to allow *any* child under 16.
It isn't really possible to do directly. The best I can think of is that you might require a "promise" from a parent or other adult -- ask them to enter identifiable information (i.e., name/address/phone number) and attest that the child is actually under 16.
It's only a psychological measure, though. Of course any adult could still just enter a random "parent's" name and address, and check the box. But requiring contact information should at least worry many people that you might "check" somehow and catch their lie.
12/16/2007 12:08PM EST
Yes, the OLPC check would only work for OLPC-owning children. What about having a pseudo-Federated Identity system? Where school districts enter some form of contact information into a local authentication system that is verified when a new "child" signs up to use the system. That should work well in 1st world countries. It would also expand the current ideas and projects for an academia-based federated identity system. Students from one college accessing the eLearning assets of another university without exposing those same assets to non-academia viewing and use. I'm not so interested in how to fully implement a check for children under the age of 16 or how difficult it would be. Only that it is technically possible. It is up to the prize winner to sell (politics-wise) or implement the solution. If they do it, they fully deserve the prize.
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