I would lump this under "common sense" type things, but, I guess I can say how I've avoided any such situations (when I was younger, early-mid 20s, as a mid 30s guy now this isn't a concern).
If you're chatting with someone who is a minor it's almost painfully obvious within a few minutes. I've had coworkers in the past who were (apparently) 16 when I was like whatever 23 or something. Just chatting with this girl in a normal way at work about work type stuff and she mentions something about school. I figured she meant college. Later on she says her dad has to come pick her up. Seemed somewhat uncommon for a like 19 year old to get picked up by her dad so I just asked "your dad? Why?" And she said something along the lines of "oh, I don't have my license yet." So I'm like "...oh... so you're in high school then?" The answer was yes, and I just made a mental note then, you know... there can be nothing there besides coworkers working. And that was that.
The story is incredibly awkward to tell in this context of all this shit in here, I guess, but it wasn't awkward at all in the moment. I gathered relevant information in a "normal person" type of way (as opposed to "let me see your ID right now!") and moved on. But if there's any reasonable amount of doubt in your mind... yeah, just make sure they're of age. I can't imagine someone who wants to have sex (or whatever- it doesn't have to be sex. Any romantic contact is inappropriate here) suddenly being turned off and repulsed by the suggestion that they look really young and you don't want to do anything immoral (or illegal). If you simply ask "are you over 18?" and they lie to you, like sure, I get it. But it's ultimately on you as the adult in the situation to make sure you aren't harming a child. That's the law and it also happens to line up with morality in this case. If they won't in some way prove their age... don't do it, I guess? I feel like a Republican like "just say no!" but for real. Don't do dumb shit. These situations can and do come up in real life. People, the young adults mostly, have a burden to be responsible for their actions. Again, sounding like a Republican here, but for real, I'm not going to accept that someone who was lied to by a kid and "didn't know" is really the victim in this whole thing. I understand the argument, I see their POV, and I just don't accept it.
I would lump this under "common sense" type things, but, I guess I can say how I've avoided any such situations (when I was younger, early-mid 20s, as a mid 30s guy now this isn't a concern).
If you're chatting with someone who is a minor it's almost painfully obvious within a few minutes. I've had coworkers in the past who were (apparently) 16 when I was like whatever 23 or something. Just chatting with this girl in a normal way at work about work type stuff and she mentions something about school. I figured she meant college. Later on she says her dad has to come pick her up. Seemed somewhat uncommon for a like 19 year old to get picked up by her dad so I just asked "your dad? Why?" And she said something along the lines of "oh, I don't have my license yet." So I'm like "...oh... so you're in high school then?" The answer was yes, and I just made a mental note then, you know... there can be nothing there besides coworkers working. And that was that.
The story is incredibly awkward to tell in this context of all this shit in here, I guess, but it wasn't awkward at all in the moment. I gathered relevant information in a "normal person" type of way (as opposed to "let me see your ID right now!") and moved on. But if there's any reasonable amount of doubt in your mind... yeah, just make sure they're of age. I can't imagine someone who wants to have sex (or whatever- it doesn't have to be sex. Any romantic contact is inappropriate here) suddenly being turned off and repulsed by the suggestion that they look really young and you don't want to do anything immoral (or illegal). If you simply ask "are you over 18?" and they lie to you, like sure, I get it. But it's ultimately on you as the adult in the situation to make sure you aren't harming a child. That's the law and it also happens to line up with morality in this case. If they won't in some way prove their age... don't do it, I guess? I feel like a Republican like "just say no!" but for real. Don't do dumb shit. These situations can and do come up in real life. People, the young adults mostly, have a burden to be responsible for their actions. Again, sounding like a Republican here, but for real, I'm not going to accept that someone who was lied to by a kid and "didn't know" is really the victim in this whole thing. I understand the argument, I see their POV, and I just don't accept it.
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