online age verificaton

[panadero]

Is anyone else annoyed by online age "verification" to enter a site? Really, if I wanted a beer, I would be there. I just want to check your webpage!
I am not aware of any particular laws regarding this, but it seems odd. Online bouncer position available...
OK. I just wondered...

David

[Bainbridge]

So advertising aimed at underage drinkers is illegal. That much is law.

What is a website? Is it an advertisement? More like a yellow-pages listing? Something more? Are you targeting specific people? Or All Ages just by default?

Thus, the Brewers Association has issued Best Practices for us all in order to help you CYA and, by extension, all of our collective A's. See for example, the BA's Advertising and Marketing Code.

Are age verification popups effective? You're kidding me, right.
Are they required by law? Probably not.
Are they a cheap and easy way to give you plausible deniability? You betcha!

[panadero]

I will cover my ass with proper IDs at the bar. Beer comercials and ads are everywhere. Your kids can't miss them. Saying "I asked first" is kind of pointless. While a gesture, it is an empty one, and annoys me. I generally click back, instead of entering my age. I was just wondering if anyone else has an issue with it, or is it just me. No big deal.

[Bainbridge]

I always go as far back as it will let me, just to see what it will do. Every now and then you get one that's like "I'm sorry, but you're not 110." Like hell I'm not!

I just want a brewery to have like a secret olde-tymey page that comes up if you say you're 90 years or older. Think: sepia toned version and with saloon/speakeasy piano music.

You're all free to steal that idea, just make sure to post it here if you do it because I want to see it!

[gravitycider]

We've just looked into this recently. The TTB said they have zero requirements for age-gating, and that it was regulated by the FTC. The FTC has no law but directed us to a publication.

http://www.ftc.gov/news-events/press-releases/2014/03/ftc-releases-fourth-major-study-alcohol-advertising-industry

It is just a recommendation(self-regulatory guideline) to keep out of trouble.

[sjcarter]

I will cover my ass with proper IDs at the bar. Beer comercials and ads are everywhere. Your kids can't miss them. Saying "I asked first" is kind of pointless. While a gesture, it is an empty one, and annoys me. I generally click back, instead of entering my age. I was just wondering if anyone else has an issue with it, or is it just me. No big deal.

I completely agree with you. The age gates are deeply, deeply annoying and completely pointless.

If you are that worried about it, stick a banner at the top of the page via your CSS saying "If you're under 21 you can't drink our beer" and be done.

[FiveMile]

I'm glad to hear this isn't mandatory. I suspected it was not because I know a few local places that don't have the prompt when you enter their site. The worst use of this feature is when breweries require you to enter the DOB, not just click Yes/No. Meanwhile, the big 3 have beer commercials that they spend millions of dollars on that are seemingly geared toward youth.