Re: UKNM: Splash debit card for under 18s

[Mark Bunting]

Jason Lloyd <

JasonLLansons [dot] com

> wrote:

>

> Can I just ask a quick question to all you UKNM

> types? Today there has

> been a lot of media coverage about the new Splash

> card: a debit card for

> the under 18's, specially created to make it

> friendly for online

> purchases. Parents can also access a special site

> and see exactly what

> their little johnny is buying, and also put any

> limit on the card too.

>

> Investment banks are said to be backing it to the

> tune of $6 billion.

> With other similar cards on the horizon

> soon,(visabuxx), what do UKNM

> think of the implications of this new card for kids,

> and more

> importantly, the UK online economy?


Good questions (ie I haven�t a clue but I�ll have a

stab anyway)


To start with the obvious point: how many kids are

going to be happy knowing that their parents can spy

on everything they buy? Surely the most attractive

thing for kids about having their own means of

purchasing is that it frees them from the oldies�

tyranny.


Secondly, what are the mechanisms for preventing sale

of restricted goods (booze, porn, Uzis) to kids? Is it

going to be recognised internationally? How? And

what�s to stop the shadier fringes of the online

market deliberately targeting kids with

no-questions-asked offers of illicit items? (Imagine

the viral power of that one�)


Would be interesting to see what the pre-launch

research with kids and parents came back with.

Assuming they did some of course.


It seems to me that things like www.cokeauction.co.uk,

even if it is an outrageously exploitative marketing

ploy by the evil Coke empire, is a safer/more

controllable way of letting kids have some purchasing

independence. And I think Beenz is open to over-13s.


On a related and more entertaining note the Register

had a great story yesterday about a 15 year-old kid

being investigated for fraud after he crashed a car

he�d bought illegally online...

http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/1/13165.html


Mark




=====

Mark Bunting:

mark [dot] buntinginfonic [dot] com

INFONIC Online Communications Management

Tel +44 (20) 7490 8844

http://www.infonic.com

=====



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