Steam's Credit Card Only Age Verification Process Fails Australian Users

Steam's age verification process in Australia has been met with frustration from many users. To prove one's age and purchase R18+ games, Steam requires a valid credit card number. However, this method is ill-suited to the Australian market, as few people use credit cards.

Microsoft has taken a different approach, using an email system to estimate users' ages based on their account activity. If a user's age can be estimated, they are no longer required to complete further age verification for access to certain Microsoft products and Xbox storefronts.

The author of the article notes that age verification systems raise security and privacy concerns. They also mention that Valve is technically adhering to the law, but doing so in a way that may lead to chaos.