I read an article on Giant Bomb recently about how the ESRB is relaxing certain rules about how mature games are marketed. In the article, it talked about the "age gate," the interface that pops up before mature trailers play, asking you to enter your date of birth.

What's the point of this thing?

I'm sure most underage kids can figure out how to get around it. And even if they're honest, they can still get around it! I entered my birthday as underage to see what would happen. I was in the eShop on my 3DS. It didn't let me watch the video. So I clicked on the video again, but it still blocked me since I had already entered my age as underage before. So I closed the eShop application, then opened it again and bingo: I could enter my age again, making myself older. Thus allowing me to watch the video.

Is there some legal significance to the age gate that I'm missing here? It seems almost completely useless!

Yes, you can't stop some one from putting in a fake date but you need to protect yourself and show that you did everything possible to prevent someone underage from watching it (within reason) so Giantbomb as a whole can't be held responsible if they take the steps outlined (like an age gate) so if someone says "my son watched this video for an M rated game, how can you make this available for children?" the people who hosted the video can say that they followed all the rules set out by the ESRB.

I am sure there is some legal ramification for not following the rules and in an industry with a lot of contacts it's always best to follow the rules and gain peoples trust.

this,

It's just the law that it needs to be there, no one expects it to actually stop anyone. It's an interactive disclaimer.

Doesn't the Giant Bomb age gate tell you to go to church or something goofy like that if you enter that you are too young?

And yeah, age gates are a pointless waste of times and resources. Anyone with half a brain can trick them into showing the content they are supposed to be blocking off.

@humanity: It is by no means the "law". The ESRB is not a legal entity and is not part of any laws or policy. The ESRB was created by the industry to self regulate itself.

@insouciant: The age gate was a requirement to be an ESRB friendly site. Now you no longer have to use an age gate as long as the trailer has been deemed "suitable" ESRB. Source.

Plausible deniably

@iigrayfoxii: Yeah by law I meant in short that it has to abide by those ESRB ratings.

It's a legal thing. They know people are gonna lie about it, but including it absolves them of responsibility.

Yes, it is a disclaimer.