[cap-talk] Can webkeys solve the MySpace problem?

[Bill Frantz]

tribble at e-dean.com (Dean Tribble) on Tuesday, January 15, 2008 wrote:

>On Jan 15, 2008 2:25 PM, Karp, Alan H <alan.karp at hp.com> wrote:
>> MySpace is in trouble.  In a recent test, fake accounts for supposed 12 and 13 year olds drew over 
>100 contacts from sexual predators.  Legislators are in an uproar, demanding that something be done.  
>Texas refused to join other states in a recent agreement with MySpace because it did not include an 
>age verificiation mechanism.
>....proposal elided...
>
>What problem is this solving? What security properties does the age
>verification provide? Is there an authorization implied by being of a
>certain age?

People who run chat rooms want to keep nasty old men from talking to
children.  If you the know the "true age" of all the people, you can
build a system that only allows nasty young children to talk to
other children.

Cheers - Bill

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bill Frantz        | The first thing you need when  | Periwinkle
(408)356-8506      | using a perimeter defense is a | 16345 Englewood Ave
www.pwpconsult.com | perimeter.                     | Los Gatos, CA 95032