Platte Public Relations

[Public Relations - Platte]

Platte has worked very hard to understand the MBS problems and the issues users had with the MBS system. We work very closely with consumer associations around the world and we obtained a UK deputy high court judge's opinion on the systems to make sure our processes were deemed legal and non detrimental to consumers.

In addition, we have worked with the UK Office of Fair Trading (OFT) to refine the systems and to ensure that our systems and processes are still able to offer consumers the benefit of website access without the need to use a credit card but in a manner that is very fair to the user.

A statement from the OFT was recently published detailing the changes we made to support this. For more details, please visit http://www.oft.gov.uk/news/press/2008/40-08
The new consumer signup process, implemented as a result of our refining our processes in consultation with the OFT, is shown at http://www.plattemedia.com/signupprocess

Although our systems are based on similar principles to those of MBS, we are not MBS. We at Platte aim to provide an excellent service to our customers and welcome all constructive comments in a bid to improve our systems and customer care.

We ask customers who are experiencing problems with their Platte Media membership or wish to comment about any aspect of our business, to contact customer services on 0845 017 8386 8am to 8pm Monday to Friday and 11am to 5pm Saturday and Sunday.

We will continue to read this forum and will endeavor to answer all questions put forward. We respectfully ask that the forums are not used to abuse the company or its employee's. Moderators are invited to contact the company should there be any specific concerns or commonly recognised issues.

[ForumFriend]

Thank you for your comment.  Can we please ask, however, that you do not make multiple postings on the Forum as we discourage this.  One posting of an item is sufficient.

We have removed the duplicate postings.  We'd also ask you to bear in mind that this forum's primary purpose is to support people who feel they are the victims of the MBS/Platte Media systems.   

[jonlewi5]

I do have a question for you,

It seems to me that the main argument in defense of your system and the technology used in it, is the fact that it doesnt require a credit card and in turn means no age verifaction, Do you not consider this an issue as minors cannot be entered into any contract? also in the terms and conditions there is a note "PLEASE NOTE THAT SOME OF THE MATERIAL ON THE WEBSITE IS OF A SEXUALLY EXPLICIT OR AN ADULT NATURE."
Surely there should be SOME sort of age verification to stop minors seeing this, im sure we all know how easy it is to just tick a box and press next,
What im trying to say is surely as a responsible company you should be trying to stop our children from veiwing this sort of content?

iv tried to explain this as well as i can

jon

[ForumFriend]

I fully concur with jonlewi5's point.  While the boxes require somebody to enter a date of birth, it is surely naive to consider this an adequate protection against children entering your sites.  Children understand very well how to get around systems like this and your technology makes it extremely easy for them to access pornography, also to enter into a contract with you, which legally they are not entitled to do. 

As jonlewi5 has already said, it is a much safer protection (if not foolproof) against this kind of situation to make credit card purchase your main source of billing, alternatively you could make your site a prepaid one, whereby people send off for credits.  You could operate on a similar principle to phonecards, with pin numbers that the user has to enter in order to access your site.  In fact, there are many other ways in which you could operate, all of which would give people access to your sites, if they so wish, but which would protect minors and also others who have complained about your system.

[ForumFriend]

Two further points, unrelated to the above:

You state the following:
"We work very closely with consumer associations around the world and we obtained a UK deputy high court judge's opinion on the systems to make sure our processes were deemed legal and non detrimental to consumers."


We have only your word for this, but we will be very happy for you to provide the Forum with evidence.

"In addition, we have worked with the UK Office of Fair Trading (OFT) to refine the systems and to ensure that our systems and processes are still able to offer consumers the benefit of website access without the need to use a credit card but in a manner that is very fair to the user."

It remains to be seen whether this is very fair to the user.  That is your opinion alone.  And you have been made to work with the OFT on this aspect in the light of the hundreds of complaints that were received about this billing method. 

We are already getting complaints about Platte Media.  This doesn't auger too well, but we hope that you will be true to your word and work on making your system totally fair to all consumers.