Microsoft's age verification approach highlights Valve's restrictive credit-card requirement in Australia
Microsoft has updated its age verification for Australian users, using account activity to estimate adult status without requiring additional steps. In contrast, Valve's Steam requires a credit card for age verification, which is problematic because few Australians use credit cards. The article criticizes Valve's approach as impractical.
Microsoft's email to Australian users indicates that long-term account activity alone can trigger an adult verification status, removing the need for further identity checks. This stands in sharp contrast to Valve's single-option approach, which demands an active credit card even from accounts established over two decades ago.
The article notes that Australians can purchase R18+ PC games from nearly any other retailer without a credit card, making Steam's requirement uniquely burdensome. The author also flags broader privacy concerns around age verification systems, while suggesting Valve's method may amount to a form of compliance that creates unnecessary friction for its users.
Valve's credit-card requirement could disproportionately affect Australian gamers without traditional banking products, potentially pushing them toward alternative storefronts or gray-market keys. Microsoft's activity-based approach may set a precedent that other platforms adopt, reducing friction while still meeting regulatory obligations. However, the broader shift toward age verification across digital storefronts could raise privacy concerns for all users, as platforms collect more personal data to comply with local laws.