The websites of Newhouse News Service's 26 newspapers require readers to enter their birth year, ZIP code, and gender because "knowing more about our audience will help us provide a better service." Of course, Newhouse can't verify what people enter on the websites of newspapers such as the Oregonian and the New Orleans Times-Picayune. Gelf tested how much leeway is allowed. Infants are welcome, but some centenarians aren't.

The websites accepts birth years as back as 1901, making it OK for 106-year-olds to view Newhouse News online, but no one older. How many Americans are barred? According to the 2000 US census, there were about 50,000 Americans 100 or older; any of them who are still alive are being excluded from viewing these sites, unless they lie about their birth years. (According to the Gerontology Research Group, there are currently 81 living people—23 of whom are Americans—who were born before April of 1897. Gelf can't find specific data about how many 106-110 year olds are still alive.) On the other end of the age spectrum, the sites accept viewers born this year.

Gelf asked Newhouse News Service bureau chief Linda Fibich why the company's newspapers asked for these vital stats, and whether people provide absurd responses. She replied that Advance Internet runs the papers' web sites and that company requires the information. She wrote to Gelf, "I lie about my birth year and gender every time I'm asked. I can't tell you why Advance Internet still seeks that information, given that folks indeed write crazy answers." Advance Internet didn't tell us either, declining to respond to Gelf's inquiries.