Sorry, kids: No social networking on the Xbox 360

In the public preview of the upcoming Xbox Live update that features access to Twitter, Facebook, and Last.fm, users under the age of 18 aren't allowed to access the aforementioned social networks. Unfortunately for those users, that will still be the case when the software launches on all Xbox 360s later this year.

According to Microsoft spokesperson Major Nelson in a blog post, Microsoft made the decision to limit access to Twitter, Facebook, and Last.fm to those 18 and older because parents won't have the ability "to use Family Settings to customize which of these applications their children can access." Microsoft is also concerned with keeping the Xbox Live environment "age-appropriate."

Realizing it will be a hot-button issue for many Xbox Live users, Major Nelson was quick to point out that it wouldn't be a lasting solution. Microsoft, he said, is working on "an update that gives parents the choice of which social applications their children can access." According to Nelson, after the update is released, children between the ages of 13 and 17 will be able to access the social networks after obtaining parental approval.

So far, Microsoft has not said when the Xbox Live update will finally launch (Nelson said "soon"). The update that gives parents control over access to those social networks will be released "several weeks" after the launch of the Xbox Live update.

Let's hear from you. Do you think Microsoft should limit child access to social networks? Let us know in the comments below.

[solitare_pax]

Lets see - All a kid has to do is lie about their age to bypass this, right?

I feel more secure already.

[umbrae]

They would need a credit card and lie about their name. The parental controls on XBL is actually very tight.

[kaibelf]

Exactly. It's easier for them to lie on a PC than on the 360.

[faceless128]

they would have to lie about their age when making their passport account. if your passport account has an age that's under 18 when you make an xbox live account that's tied to it, you get a child profile. of course, many kids realize this and put their age at 18 or older anyway, my younger brother did just that a few years ago, and my sister, who is 10 also realized this when signing up for hotmail.

also, you don't need a credit card, you can buy 12 month xbox live cards in stores, often at a $10-20 discount over the $49.95 that you would pay with a CC. it's actually best if you don't use a credit card, since using one means your subscription automatically renews every year, which can cause problems with your xbox live membership if the card is declined for any reason.

[dannyboy1016]

LOL all u got to do is go on a real pc i know the xbox is technically a pc but go on a real pc and go on any of those websites microsoft cant restrict you cuz of your age who goes on face book from a xbox!!! i only do that when im tired bored lazy or when my laptop gets broken. No offense to all the xbox lovers out there who pumps 310mill in activisions pocket just for CODWAW2 the first day of it release i mean its a good game but ill just wait till the price drops. "peace"

[Jahntassa]

I think it's safer than not to automatically restrict it on accounts deemed as 'under 18'. In theory, most people who would access those types of services already have another method to do so beyond the XBOX.

The fact that they will release the parental controls for it a few weeks after is better than nothing at all. IMO it's a feature that shouldn't hold up the general release.

[b_man95]

They Really shouldn't put those types of restrictions the social networking sites. they them selves have restrictions

[myles taylor]

Like most things, the rules like this only stop those people who actually care enough to follow the rules. You know...the people who would have been responsible enough anyway without the rules? The rest of them get around it and everything is all hunky dory. Of course, when they do release the updates, how long do you think it will take kids to bypass the parental controls or just pretend to be the parents themselves?

[kaibelf]

It's a lot harder when the parents get a bill for xbox live gold on their credit card and want to know what it's about.

[faceless128]

why would a kid smart enough to get around their parents use a credit card for xbox live when it's easier (and often cheaper) to buy the xbox live 12 month card in best buy?

This is all about PR with parents. Microsoft can't go wrong taking this approach, especially if they follow up with that parental control update reasonably quickly.

What they don't want is to have a single Xbox taken out of the living room because the parents can't control what their kids do with it. Of course that perceived control is a myth, but perception is reality.

[wedgexx]

They're going to add it to the parental controls within a month of release. What's the problem again?

[OfficerNelson]

Something tells me that a disgruntled soccer mom with no responsibility for her child[ren] called this one.

Is it honestly that hard to hang out in the living room while your kids are staring at the TV? I only slightly understand why parents are worried about what their kids see on the internet because they can't monitor them 24/7, but even then it's pretty iffy. To claim that parents can't watch the big bright flashing square in the middle of their living room wall is probably a bit of a stretch.

Anyways, stupid idea. Why not wait until parents can choose which networks can be accessed instead of just blindly blocking them all? Is it really that urgent of an issue? Come on now.

Besides, kids are smart. I spent 2 years finding each and every hole in Websense's content filter in high school. After a while I just bought a mobile broadband card and used it on campus. (It was a boarding school, so even at "home" the internet was under strict surveillance.) Same thing will happen here. Kids will find workarounds and tricks for a while, then will just end up accessing the social networks on a computer or on their cell phones.

Bad idea, bad execution. Welcome to Xbox.

[kaibelf]

Nonsense. I'm part of the preview, and the most vocal complaints are from these kids. They also whine about how MS is limiting their "freedom of speech" and talk about how they intend to make money by gaming for a living. Kids, as a general rule, are NOT smart, and honestly, if their parents are paying for this access, why shouldn't they have control over it?

[Methuss]

What is the point of addign yet another social networking program to a system that already has one? (MSN messenger is built in already)

Frankly I don't want people SMS bombing my phone because they go nuts using Twitter on their XBOX...and Facebook's lax security leaves me wondering how messed up a person's system can get from that.

[raverblood]

all i can say is good.. they dont need to be on there

[biffhenerson]

Sounds reasonable to me. Kids have no business on the internet anyway. Its nasty and bad.

[ibeetle]

So you mean to say that the online players that have said my parents were never married, that I am the product of a mother that is a female dog, and that I actively engage in same sex relationships are OVER 18?

Yea... we need to keep those immature underage kids off the network
*/ Rolls eyes

[xaduurv]

I find this move from MS very strange. They're alienating their key demographic, spotty teens who play nothing but halo and call of duty (come on, you know I'm right).

[kaibelf]

Actually, their key demographic is mid-late 20's. Teens don't have anything without viable incomes.

[xaduurv]

You mustn't have been a teen (or have raised teens) in quite some time. They don't need incomes. They have parents. And when it comes to gaming, they can be very vocal.

[mjconver]

My 17-year old son got caught up in this nanny-state stupidity. When he signed up for his Xbox account 2 years ago he was honest with his birthday, and there's no way to fix it.

He's a senior in high school, an athlete, gets good grades, has a car, and I let him and his girlfriend to go R-rated movies. I could care less what he does on his Xbox. He defriended me on Facebook months ago, I could care less, he can have his space as long as his grades stay up.

You are just like my mom then. She doesn't care what I do as long as I keep my grades up, since it's hard to get into lots of problems with drugs and everything and keep up good grades.

[rquinn7]

I'm with you. Our kids can be licensed to drive one ton of metal on the streets at 50 mph. Yet they are not old enough to view "age appropriate" sites? Who are we kidding here? The thing that drives me crazy, it's insidious. The Government and by extension, corporations, feel that they (derived from the vocal minority) can dictate that which for centuries has been the domain of parents. Parenting.

[6stringluke]

rquinn7,
"he Government and by extension, corporations, feel that they (derived from the vocal minority) can dictate that which for centuries has been the domain of parents. Parenting"

How many cases of violent teens blaming video games for their actions? And how many parents only too willing to shun the responsibility and point the finger at the Xbox360 in the living room?

Of course most kids are sensible enough to not take gaming seriously, but the tiny minority ruin it for everyone else. Such is the world we live in today.

The company is trying to limit their liability, No more, no less. Some parents want to be friends with their kids. Thats not parenting...

[nataliev39]

I think it is smart to limit children's use of the social networking sites. They are only limiting it until they have a proper parental control to install. this is smart on their behalf because it will save them from numerous lawsuits if a kid wan't afe about internet use and got themselves into trouble. With an age limit in place, the company is guarding themselves from the suits of overprotective parents who would do anything to sue them if their child misbehaved on the internet.

[Stefaninafla]

If MS don't want their XBox Live service to be used as a conduit for underage folks using social networking services, that's their prerogative. After all, people are supposed to read the EULA before agreeing.

[shycelticwitch]

GOOD! Now all they have to do is get rid of the rest of the technocrap that keeps our kids (and adults) on the sofa... scarfing junk food and getting fat. No Facebook? No MySpace? SO WHAT?!!! Get of your butt and go outside and play. You might live longer (and be a little smarter too).

[lolbrandon]

I feel that the restriction for facebook, last.fm, and twitter is unnecessarily high. 18 is quite annoying in my opinion. I am 16 years old and have a facebook and last.fm. Xbox should follow the terms of service that these social networking sites use which certainly isn't 18. Having to wait 2 years to use these useful applications on Xbox is a bit of a let down. If anything make the restriction set to 16, or have a parental setting which would be good problem solver.

[Helmaroc]

The age requirement for facebook and twitter is 13 years old. I don't think last.fm even has an age requirement. So why do this? I know that a large part of the Xbox Live (maybe even half) player community is under 18 years of age, and have simply lied about their birthdate to gain access to everything. And I know there are kids under THIRTEEN using Xbox Live, Facebook and Twitter. So, this is a poor solution on all counts. It does not make sense, and it will not work.