AGs Encourage Strengthening of Age Verification at Bud.TV
Twenty-three state attorney generals sent a letter last week to Anheuser-Busch encouraging it to use a more effective age verification tool for its new entertainment Web site, Bud.TV.
The letter, dated Feb. 15, was in response to correspondence Anheuser-Busch had sent to the attorney generals stating that it was taking proactive measures to reduce youth access to its Web sites.
The AGs reviewed the measures referenced in the letter and said they were concerned that “the methods Anheuser-Busch has chosen to employ will not actually keep youth who are under the legal drinking age from accessing the Bud.TV site.”
Anheuser-Busch acknowledged in a statement that it knew some concerns might be raised about it becoming an entertainment provider. It said because of that, it took extraordinary steps to demonstrate its commitment to the fight against illegal underage drinking by implementing independent age verification to enter the site.
“Ironically, we have received criticism from some in the news media who felt our age verification requirement was too cumbersome and discouraged adults from entering the site,” the statement said. “Despite the fact that this software has turned away tens of thousands of visitors, we have continued to use it to show that we’re serious about preventing minors from accessing our site.”
The AG’s letter stated that since Anheuser-Busch is programming and controlling the site that it has a higher responsibility to ensure that those under the legal drinking age are not exposed to it marketing at the site.
The AGs also stated that Anheuser-Busch should put in place software that ensure that a registered user cannot share his username and password with others. Another concern was the file sharing capabilities at the site, or the ability for visitors to download or share videos.
Anheuser-Busch officially launched the network Feb. 5, one day after it advertised the site on a Super Bowl TV spot. Even so, the company made headlines last fall after announcing that it planned to debut the site. (PROMO Xtra, Sept. 7, 2006)
The attorneys general who sent the letter are from Maine, Louisiana, Alaska, Arizona, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Maryland, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont, West Virginia and Wyoming.
