Last time I was asked for my age on the web was when I created my email account. How is age helpful in user experience? Why is there an age section?
-
1Related: meta.stackexchange.com/questions/61770/…– MatCommented Apr 30, 2012 at 7:43
-
1And specifically "Why is this restriction in place?"...– LixCommented Apr 30, 2012 at 7:46
-
No, I'm asking "Is there any use of showing age on Profile page? How can it help?"– Santosh KumarCommented Apr 30, 2012 at 7:53
-
2@Santosh its not a mandatory field - its optional - ie its for information only– ManseCommented Apr 30, 2012 at 7:56
-
It is there because your birth date is also supplied... If you remove that from your profile the age will also be hidden - its just information about the user...– LixCommented Apr 30, 2012 at 7:56
-
Once again, why is birth date supplied? How can it help in Q&A? Specially in SO.– Santosh KumarCommented Apr 30, 2012 at 8:02
-
did you read the first two links in the comments here?– LixCommented Apr 30, 2012 at 8:05
-
3@Lix the OP is not under 13 he's just asking what is the benefit of showing user's age..– Shadow WizardCommented Apr 30, 2012 at 8:09
Add a comment
|
3 Answers
It's just another piece of information about you, same way like you can provide your real name (as the nick), your location and free text in the About section.
It does not have any "direct" value by itself, people should not treat someone differently just because he's X years old and not Y years old.
answered Apr 30, 2012 at 8:08
Maybe some users will trust you more when you are in a specific range of age? It doesn't bother me too much. Probably I would not vote someone for moderator when the age is only 13 ...
Personally I don't want to tell the world my age. On the downside, I will never get the "Autobiographer" badge.
-
2You could always provide a birth date (it doesn't have to be yours), get the badge and then remove the information ;)– ChrisF ModCommented Apr 30, 2012 at 8:22
-
3
-
2
-
The field is optional. If you don't want to make your age public, then you don't have to fill it in.
One's age is simply a logical thing to include in a personal profile, along with one's name, location, and website. As you observe yourself in the question, lots of other services ask you to provide your age, including email providers.
Ageism is, like other "-isms", strongly discouraged.
answered Apr 30, 2012 at 10:48
