ATVOD regs: age verification vs paywall

[hardcore chris]

Hi folks,

Reading previous posts, I gather some of you are familiar with the new ATVOD regulations. I'm looking to set up an online clip store and I'm struggling with the main plank of ATVOD's guidelines: that explicit video has to be protected by content access controls. That means you can either use:

a) an age verification system that checks the user's details against reputable databases

or

b) a paywall that accepts credit cards but not debit cards

I've looked into both.

I think I've contacted all of the major suppliers in age verification - both UK companies and US ones. I've sat through all the demos and they look very impressive - but they're not cheap. Many of them expect you to sign up to a huge minimum pre-buy (like a minimum buy of thousands of ID matches per annum). There are a couple of providers who do Pay As You Go, but the unit cost is high - between ?1.30 and ?2.00 per check. So, say if a user makes two attempts to access my site by entering phoney details, then makes a third attempt using authentic ones, I'd end up paying 3 x ?2.00 on that single transaction. That doesn't make economic sense if all the user is buying is a clip for ?3.99. Bear in mind that almost all of these companies charge you even if the check fails - so the user's age can't be verified, therefore you don't take any money but you still have to pay for age verification - so you make a loss.

I'd be fine with a paywall - except I'll be using a third-party payment processor (like CCBill). As far as I know, payment processors take as many different card types as they can - the ones I've spoke to so far don't allow you to specify that you'll accept credit cards only (and not debit cards).

Has anybody actually managed to implement this particular ATVOD requirement? I accept I'll have to comply - I just haven't been able to find a single solution out there in the market that makes sense if you're a small site that's just starting up. If anyone's managed to do it, I'd be grateful for your advice!

Thanks.

Chris

[andy at handiwork]

An old cynic like me would suggest the difficulties you are experiencing were part of the reason for the introduction of these rules in the first place.

[one eyed jack]

You could always bring your enquiry to www.ukadultproducers.com or www.aita.co.uk who have extensive knowledge about ATVOD and payment platforms and general industry stuff between them

[lowerloft]

Terry, beat me to it. I was just about to say contact AITA as AITA sit on the ATVOD meetings and are looking in to such things for AITA members.

Worth being a member just to have a voice against ATVOD.

Contact admin@aita.co.uk for more details.

[hardcore chris]

Hi. Thanks for your replies. I'm sure you're right - the new regulations certainly weren't designed to make life any easier for adult sites. I'll definitely have a look at AITA and UKAP.

[one eyed jack]

AITA would be your best bet for what Lowerloft said BUT UKAP has the most producers whom it would affect

Decisions, decisions

Why not join both? I did!

[milton]

This is another bunch of professional quango sitting parasites who do fuck all for anybody, make no contribution whatever but line their pockets on the efforts of everyone else!

There are 1000s of similar scams to this one! Tot up the salaries and it makes benefit scrounging look like a lost piggy bank.

http://www.melonfarmers.co.uk/me_atvod_11a.htm

I could go on but my blood pressure is high enough!!

BTW when dave has finished stealing public sector pensions he'll come for the private sector ones just watch.

Ian.