Discussions about O2 and age verification

[Anonymous]

Just received a text from TPTB saying I need to confirm I'm over 18 to view adult material. Until then, it'll remain blocked on my phone. I don't have a credit card so I'll need to do this in store. Just wondering, I have no particular desire to view pornographic material or register to flirt websites on my phone but if I don't have this ban lifted, will it affect my general day-to-day browsing in any way? Otherwise, I won't bother.
Secondly, when did this come about? Never needed to confirm my age in the past. And why couldn't they have sorted this in store when I bought the phone?

[perksie]

Well this has cropped up again. I can access sickipedia - a joke website via mobile browsing but not via the iPhone app. The app is restricted on wifi but I can browse #### on wifi but not on 3G. The online age verification thing on the O2 website doesn't work - too many access attempts. One attempt must be too many.
Although I understand why the age verification is being brought in I cannot understand why O2 cannot interrogate its own database. If an over 18 has got a mobile for an under 18 then that is their problem. If an under 18 wants to access #### material then they will. They will download it to their PC and transfer it to their mobile. A bit of an inconvenience but nice #### are always worth some inconvenience.
O2 need to sort this out before they start haemorraging customers. I pay £80 a month for mobile, broadband and landline calls. I would be more than happy to take my business elsewhere if O2 don't want my money

A silly response which you have made without reading the rest of this very long thread! 😐

[jonsie]

O2 have an issue with Tumblr at the moment which has been going on for a couple of days. It diverts to the age verification page.

[Anonymous]

i do not have a bt land line passport drivers licence or credit card iv have never needed any before untill this stupid rule that o2 have come up with my computer is my only link with outside world and now i am totaly isolated i am 48 years old i should not be treated like this people have rights you know and one is the right to choose weather or not to block sites i will be using what credit i have remaning on my sim then it will be in the bim and ill get another from someone else o2 have lost them selfs another 7 customers through this as my children all over 18 have o2 phones but are changing them because of there daft rule changes to

Am I the only person baffled as to how a 48 year old has a job, house and children without having obtained a drivers licence or passport or photographic ID of any kind throughout their entire life? I was even asked for photo ID for my current job! Maybe it's a job that doesn't require any capitalisation or punctiation...
I haven't gotten around to verifying my age yet because I don't have a credit card and my nearest O2 store is a bit of a treck, but I also get redirected to Bango at the moment. Going to the O2 store for my upgrade on 8th January so will apply to have it removed then and see how it goes. I will update on progress!
I sympathise with people's concerns over this age verification process but some of the complaints are a bit unfounded and have already been tackled by the O2 representative. I wonder, how many of the complainers on here would kick up a storm if their kids accessed adult material on the contract phone that mummy and daddy pay for with their credit card?

[Anonymous]

How do I remove this restriction without having to visit an O2 shop ?

I have tried to use the 'Age Verification Tool' but just keep getting the following error:

"Sorry you have exceeded the maximum number of attempts to use a credit card for age verification."

I haven't even provided any card info yet ! How can I have exceeded the maximum ?

Getting well annoyed now !!

[Anonymous]

No it's isn't as a lot of adults are taking out phone contacts fr there children these days

[Anonymous]

Well just joined in because I have received a "Connection to http://bango.net refused" when trying to update my newly purchased WEATHER app (BeWeather on Android) which doesn't even display a website, merely downloading weather data, yet my old weather app which used the same weather source (Weather Underground) for data is NOT producing this issue.

Until 2 hours ago I had never even heard of this age verification issue, will be calling in to my local O2 shop to sort it out.

Who is actually responsible for classifying these apps/sites?

@Tattycakes -- I realise this is way after the event, but your reply to the 48 year old without photo ID was short tempered and small minded! If you were a 48 year old, parochial xenophobic working as a Shop Assistant (lots of other examples if you want them), why would you need Photo ID or a Driving licence or Passport? And berating a person for their typing skills is uneccessary, English may not be his first language, he may be uneducated or even Dyslexic -- this isn't an English exam forum -- and someone who spells 'punctuation' as punctiation, shouldn't be casting aspersions.

[MI5]

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@Anonymous wrote:

Well just joined in because I have received a "Connection to http://bango.net refused" when trying to update my newly purchased WEATHER app (BeWeather on Android) which doesn't even display a website,

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It is quite likely that this app contains adware which is trying to connect to the internet to pester you with adverts about the size of your manhood be grateful bango has blocked it

[Anonymous]

@MI5 -- the thought did initially cross my mind, but I have been using the free version of BeWeather for some time, without any of the Bango issues, updating to the paid version to gain a few extra features.

I've been in touch with the developer of the app and he assures me that he has no connection to Bango.net or code in his app that would trigger this and absolutely no adware, otherwise I would be one of many with this issue.

So it's looking like it's at O2's end.

A further confusion is that I can install any other weather app that links to Wunderground.com (Weather Underground) for data without issue.

Are you aware if O2/Bango still have some form of affilliation?

And while I appreciate not being inundated with the rubbish that can infect our mobiles, 'grateful bango has blocked it' is something I am not. If I had been in a browser I might understand, but a weather app?

A quick trip to my local O2 shop was a waste of fuel, whilst the staff were helpful they had absolutely no idea what it might be, or anything about Bango and I came away with the same feeling as when I take my grandchildren to the zoo... (it's a **bleep** shame they're all locked up in there and they should be set free!)

[Anonymous]

Just tried the Age verification thingy, entered the code and got "Sorry you have exceeded the maximum number of attempts to use a credit card for age verification."

Same as post above from tingy, never even got to stage of giving credit card details. What difference does it make providing credit card details? How does that stop a child from accessing adult sites? What if it is a child using a parents credit card to unblock their own phone, bought for them by an adult.

[perksie]

Try ringing O2 I'm sure they'll sort ot out for you.

I think we've exhausted all the arguments about the pro's and con's of this if you read the thread.