# Why must I be of legal drinking age to enter a liquor company's website? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 15, 2002, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-must-i-be-of-legal-drinking-age-to-enter-a-liquor-companys-website/103668 "2002-04-15T02:24:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![waterj2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/858c86/32.png) [@waterj2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/waterj2)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2002, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-must-i-be-of-legal-drinking-age-to-enter-a-liquor-companys-website/103668/1 "2002-04-15T02:24:19Z")
Any time I go to check out the website of one of my favorite purveyors of intoxicating spirits, there is some sort of disclaimer that states that I am not allowed into the site unless I am of legal drinking age. Why is this? I have never noticed any lessening of my sobriety during the perusal of such sites. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2002, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-must-i-be-of-legal-drinking-age-to-enter-a-liquor-companys-website/103668/2 "2002-04-15T02:31:20Z")
I imagine they’re trying to avoid being liable in some potential lawsuit that would claim they intentionally advertised to minors, a`la cigarette makers. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2002, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-must-i-be-of-legal-drinking-age-to-enter-a-liquor-companys-website/103668/3 "2002-04-15T04:25:25Z")
Yes, they must make at least a token effort to avoid charges of marketing to minors. After the Joe Cool fiasco, I’m not surprised.