the question is why do you feel its necessary to have more draconian checks done for adult sites (which isnt just porn by the way is also gambling) than for things like bank accounts, credit cards, tv contracts (which come with porn channels).

how about we stop molly cuddling children so much instead of removing civil liberties.

I have had further correspondence with both the passport service and ofcom, ofcom have strongly encouraged me to make a complaint especially after I told them giffgaff have no procedure in place for people with no passport/drivers license. The passport service have told me they dont expect people to be sending out passport numbers over the internet and actually told me to not do it. They said its a photo id for transport purposes not an age check.

last time I was anywhere near a bank looking at opening an account the ID and suchlike requirements seemed to be sufficiently complex to put me off.
http://www.natwest.com/personal/current-accounts/g2/... starts off with an ID methods list of

Current signed Passport
EU national ID card
Current Full UK photocard Driving Licence
Current Full UK Driving Licence (old style paper version)

https://www.barclays.co.uk/Helpsupport/Identificatio... is virtually identical.

Vodafone removed it on the phone when I had them

T-Mobile took me to a landing page where if I entered my bank number etc from my account it unblocked it immediately so a very good system.

Over the top to impose this kind of measure GiffGaff. It's not instant in anyway and not with the times.

Edited by ukhardy07 (Mon 10-Jun-13 01:24:11)

yes but they workaround it if required.

For banks those are just preffered ID's.

I think banks are been excessive also but there is a bit more justification and they are also a bit more flexible.

Edited by Chrysalis (Mon 10-Jun-13 16:58:50)

yeah, today I got a written letter of ofcom.

It states their usual policy is to not investigate user's complaints and then some more about their service.

Then it near the bottom states however a website stating ofcom has regulated something when it hasnt it takes very seriously and they will be contacting giffgaff regarding the matter. They also state they have not regulated giffgaff at all to ask for 'any' type of age verification.

The changes to rules on money laundering mean that you can even be asked for ID when moving money between your own accounts.

Seems it's an O2 issue and has been around a while....

http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2011-03/04/o2-mo...

(>2 years ago)

" If you don't drive or have a passport, and you don't have a credit card, then you're pretty much out of luck. "

I think Banks etc can ask for ID to be re-verified at any time.
I've certainly had to re-verify my ID when I opened a new account at a savings group with whom I already had exisiting other accounts - so not a new customer.
As I always fail the electronic check that means supplying paper certified copies of passport plus original CC statement as address ID etc.

Had an email earlier today from my stockbroker asking for new copies of my passport and a separate email with passport number. They have been audited and my details were out of date. I have been using them for 30+ years but that is not enough!.

not O2 itself.

for whatever reason giffgaff have chosen to do this of their own back.

all I had to do to unbar it on my O2 phone was put in my number on a webform and verify the sms confirmation.

The issue I am really talking about is the draconian measures employed as age verification.

Now I see this seems limited to just giffgaff and ofcom tell me they have not regulated this I guess it isnt such a big deal.

I expect ofcom are only going to make giffgaff remove the statement that ofcom requires them to ask for a passport or drivers licence tho and probably wont be any action on the policy itself.

--edit--

Reading O2s FAQ on this suggests they need a credit card for age checking (or photo id in a O2 shop, not over call/internet)

I suspect the age verify is on PAYG only, but its much more reasonable than giffgaff who are asking for people to enter passport numbers on a internet form and dont accept credit card for age verification.

Edited by Chrysalis (Tue 11-Jun-13 04:43:42)