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  1. #1

    why can minors play this game, freaks me out

    ok so there is a person who in my guild I surmised was a girl and we got to talking,

    anyway somehow we got on to ages and she tells me she is 12.... i'm in my 30's



    so glad I didn't say anything inappropriate, even as a joke which I can do since there's also some people in my guild who are older than me.

    I don't want chris hansen knocking on my door.

    I'm scared to even be friendly anymore to anyone in game, suppose to be a teen game.

  2. #2
    Well, T for Teen means it's recommended for ages 13 and up, that's certainly still under legal age. And, of course, it doesn't bar anyone under the recommendation from playing, it's simply a content warning for parents, just like movie ratings.

    I'd suggest, if it matters a lot to you, looking for a guild that advertises an 18+ member requirement. I know they're out there.

  3. #3
    One reason my guild is 21+, always has been, always will be.
    WOW simply evolved to remove tedium that for some people celebrate as difficulty or work from the game so that people spent more time enjoying the game instead of seeing it as a job. -ZeroWashu

  4. #4
    Mechagnome Yuni's Avatar
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    So because you're hitting on online chicks, you don't want this game to be rated Teen? Lol.
    A life spent making mistakes is not only more honorable, but more useful than a life spent doing nothing.-George Bernard Shaw

  5. #5
    Quote Originally Posted by er0ckuh View Post
    So because you're hitting on online chicks, you don't want this game to be rated Teen? Lol.
    wasn't hitting on thankfully, my wow chat logs are clean

    I also know a 8 year old who plays this game so...

  6. #6
    well the easiest thing to do would be to not make any sex comments at somebody until you at least know their age.

    also, she won't be scarred for life, its not a big deal, she hears worse things on television.
    "Just because you read it on the internet, doesn't mean the person actually said it." - Thomas Jefferson

  7. #7
    Mechagnome Yuni's Avatar
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    Play Xbox Live and you'll hear 5 year olds throw slurs at you like dodgeballs, and most of those games are rated Mature. It's just one of those things, that's why most games state that your game experience can change online. I could be playing Barbie's Adventure Online and someone would probably start swearing at me for not picking up the coins.
    A life spent making mistakes is not only more honorable, but more useful than a life spent doing nothing.-George Bernard Shaw

  8. #8
    You know I was playing at that age I think, maybe a little older, and I never even imagined people older than 18 played it xD

    You can't go wrong if you just don't swear, be kind and friendly. 'Cause then you're just being kind and friendly and not swearing. No-one can have a go at you for that imo, not that anyone ever will or should.

  9. #9
    I've had a similar situation, was talking to someone about general ingame stuff, as we were both hunters, going after rare pets and such. one day this person disappears for a while, they come back like a month later, told me that their mother yelled at them for talking to someone, so i asked how old they were, they were 11. Needless to say my attitude towards them changed instantly, thought about every word i said to clean it up, because hell you dont want to give anyone the wrong idea.
    I see Stupid people!

  10. #10
    The Lightbringer Lovestar's Avatar
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    a) Western culture conditions you to worry too much about these things. I realize prison / embarassing Yahoo! News headlines are the source of real concern, but you know... don't sext people without proof of what you're dealing with and you're not going to get into any legal trouble.

    b) She's not as innocent and fragile as you think, by 12 she's been exposed to worse than you can ever come up with.

    c) Also, not seeing the big social deal besides tiresome cultural taboos. 12 year olds are fairly well-developed intellectually. They're well within competition for adults in terms of ability to process, think, understand... the only real difference between 12 and 20 is life experience refining the personality. It's not like the difference between like, 5 years old and 18 years old, where there's actual cognitive development still incomplete and forming in the younger child. By 12 you're pretty well-formed. Also, I meet plenty of 20-30 year olds who are significantly dumber and more immature than 12-15 year olds I meet and play with.

    d) Why can adults play this game? That freaks me out too. Something odd about seeing so many characters running around Dalaran with "mom" as part of their name and finding out my raid healer has 6 kids. >.<

    Quote Originally Posted by er0ckuh View Post
    I could be playing Barbie's Adventure Online and someone would probably start swearing at me for not picking up the coins.
    Or asking for your Skype and verifying you're "really a girl, right".
    Last edited by Lovestar; 2012-11-07 at 04:35 AM.

  11. #11
    There's a reason why there's a language filter and report feature in many games, WoW included. Although the game may be rated T for Teen, doesn't mean that the parents care, know, or enforce that with their children. Many parents these days just cave in if a child wants a game. So many parents are often too tired or absorbed in other things to really look at what their children get into. It's best to just play this game as if it were Hello Kitty Adventure Island. Always assume there is a child present and act accordingly. If you want to joke around and be an adult, that's best left for real life friends and not a virtual environment where the person on the other end could be under age.

    As for restricting a guild to 21+, I honestly don't see how you can reinforce that. What do you do? Have them scan their driver's license and e-mail it to you so you can verify their age? People lie all the time. Fake IDs aren't too hard to get or even create digitally if you have the know how. How do they know you won't steal the information on their driver's license, especially if they aren't smart enough to black the information out? Do you require they e-mail you a picture? How do they know you're not a pervert? And many people look younger/older than they are. Do you have them talk on vent? Many people sound older or younger than what they are. Others may not even own a headset, be tech savvy enough to set one up if they do own one, or just don't like talking. Do you evaluate how they type? Do they use big words? Do you require they e-mail you their job resume so you can have an idea of their age? Just seems to me that restricting a guild to a certain age range (or even a certain gender) is basically just trusting that the person is being truthful. Besides death and taxes, people lying is another certainty, especially if it gets them something they wouldn't have otherwise gotten by being truthful.

  12. #12
    61 (almost) here, and checking someone is over 21 is easy if you talk to them a few times and remember what they say - about when they left school, the college/job they went to, their knowledge of the world. Talk about politics in guild and see what their responses are. Being in a 25+ guild a few people have been removed after a day or so. We are not 25+ so we can be 'rude' in guild, in fact the very opposite - we do not want foul mouthed needie kiddies in guild. We do not raid, are mainly solo players who chat a bit. Generally if they are young they do not want a guild like ours, too quiet and serious

    I have been in 35+ guilds in the past who used the same sort of questions to verify age

  13. #13
    I've been noticing more younger people recently (some not even 12), maybe its coincidence though. The age range is pretty insane though, I met a rogue a few years back in his very late 60's, he'd be in his 70's now and still playing which just blows my mind.

    I still feel however the average age range is 16-25.

    And before anyone says you can tell a persons age by spelling and grammar, that's not true. My spelling and grammar is horrible at times, I'm almost 19. I've met 13 year olds that seem more mature than me and its usually quite the shock when I find out their age.
    Last edited by Asphyxiate9; 2012-11-07 at 04:53 AM.

  14. #14
    I use this guideline: Don't say anything in gchat that you wouldn't say in a crowd of people IRL. Unless your guild is very small, you have no idea who all you're talking to when you talk in gchat.

  15. #15
    I disagree with you, many children younger than 13 go to PG movies.

    The decision rests with the parents and in fact many parents play wow with their kids.

    The teen rating is a guideline, nothing more, parents still have the ability to let younger children play it.

  16. #16
    So because there is the chance that minors could read something explicit in the game they shouldn't be able to play it ? Interesting.

  17. #17
    Keyboard Turner
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    Have you tried not being a creeper? Most people don't enjoy hearing disgusting sexual comments you know. Shouldn't matter what age they are.

  18. #18
    if blizzard blatantly allows bots to play theyll let any little kids play....its all for profit
    Photo Website: http://www.jeremynative.com Please check out

  19. #19
    Deleted
    Quote Originally Posted by Neolithic View Post
    One reason my guild is 21+, always has been, always will be.
    Do you ask for IDs ? 'Cos no-one can lie about their age on internet.

  20. #20
    Quote Originally Posted by jeremynative View Post
    if blizzard blatantly allows bots to play theyll let any little kids play....its all for profit
    Do you expect Blizzard to ban players for being too young?

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