Faceparty bans users over 36 years old

Social networking site Faceparty is axing the accounts of users aged over 36, because it claims older users pose a danger of sex offending. The site says that it has been forced into the move because of changes in government legislation.

It says it has deleted “a huge number of accounts” from the site in recent weeks. Explaining the move on its website, Faceparty says: “We understand that only a minority of older users are sex offenders, but you must understand that we cannot tell which.”

It says that new government legislation means such sites must check if older users appear on the government’s sex offenders list. However, the legislation is based on checking addresses, and as Faceparty has not insisted on validated email addreses it cannot participate in the scheme.

“Having discussed the use of the site with the police and the home office, and some further pretty serious crimes caused by older users, we were left with no option but to terminate a huge amount of accounts, and without any notice, immediately,” Faceparty says.

Faceparty was set up in September 2000 and describes itself as “the biggest party on earth”.