WARNING: Consider not using true Date of birth when setting up an Outlook.com account for a minor.When I got a laptop for my daughter Lily (now 10 y/o), I tried to set up a Gmail account for her that used the simple format
[email protected], but that name pattern for her name had already been taken (was not available).
So when Outlook.com was announced, I hurriedly went in to see if I could set up an account for Lily that enabled her to use the format
[email protected]. To my delight, it was available.
I was entering her details and when it came to "Date of birth", I unthinkingly put in her
true DOB. When I went to set up her access to Live (MSM), SkyDrive etc., I then found myself trapped in a tight security-checking process where I had to ask my parent/guardian for proof of approval. So I signed on as myself to give it, but then the security process wanted to send a text key message to my phone
and insisted that I accept a charge for it via Credit card/Paypal (part of which charge would go to a charity), and I had to use the text key as proof.
At which point I bailed out of the process in frustration, as I dislike being obliged to give out personal information (phone number and credit card details) to get something like this done
and being obliged to accept a charge for it at the same time. Ruddy cheek!
When I explained to Lily that I had what I had done and the hassle, she said:
"Oh yes. Dad, I avoid giving my real age when I am setting up an account for a game or anything, but if I do give it I also give my Gmail account as my guardian's email address, and approve it that way."
I went into her Outlook.com account and changed her DOB to an adult age (63). Let's see if that works...