Small legal issue

Felix the Cat · Post by **Felix the Cat** » 20 Dec 2005, 23:15

We should probably add in a step in registering an account for the Spring server in which the user is required to assert that he or she is in fact over the age of 13, to be in compliance with US laws. This is especially true if we have no moderation in the chat. If some 12 year old is in the chat and someone starts spamming "PENIS PENIS HELL F*CK SHIT CRAP HAMSANDWICHES", an overly litiguous mother has cause to sue the heck out of someone - probably not the SYs, because they're in Sweden, but I'm sure there's some link in the chain that's in the United States...

Please refer all discussion about chat moderation to the appropriate thread.

Das Bruce · Post by **Das Bruce** » 21 Dec 2005, 00:04

Well, from what I've heard pretty much anything goes in sweden,

but yeah, and thats another reason why we need moderators.

Zoombie · Post by **Zoombie** » 21 Dec 2005, 01:42

There should be a ignore button

smoth · Post by **smoth** » 21 Dec 2005, 03:57

or people when registering can consent to the fact that the content of the game experience will change online. As I said in the moderator thread you people cannot controll in game even though you can control the chat. Guess what? the player will spend most of his/her/it's time IN GAME beyond the control of a chat moderator so drop that notion.

I think a simple disclaimer would be prudent, so I concur and second that.

Zoombie · Post by **Zoombie** » 21 Dec 2005, 04:04

I'm pretty sure you cant second your own movement...but i third...it

Felix the Cat · Post by **Felix the Cat** » 21 Dec 2005, 04:13

Zoombie wrote:There should be a ignore button

What, exactly, does that have to do with requiring the user to state that he/she is above the age of 13 when registering?

The issue isn't about chat moderation, really... it's just that the chats (both lobby and ingame) are what would tip Mommy into a bout of lawsuits.

Regardless, I suppose it's the SYs choice whether or not they take one tiny step to get into complaince with US laws. To be honest, I think that this step will not be added - not out of any desire not to have the screen, but more out of the "fork the US" attitude that seems to prevail most everywhere that is not Texas.

Zoombie · Post by **Zoombie** » 21 Dec 2005, 04:23

Opse! missed that.

But yes, that would be a good idea. Stops indignent mothers from mailing the SY's about how there game curropted her darlying, dotted on son.

Felix the Cat · Post by **Felix the Cat** » 21 Dec 2005, 04:34

Another idea: make it so that registration to this forum is required to download Spring. The forum registration already requires you to assert that you are over 13, so this would solve most of the legal issues.

smoth · Post by **smoth** » 21 Dec 2005, 06:14

hawt damn, dude that is a brilliant idea! then if a user is both problematic in chat or forum they could be dealt with! OMG great idea!

*edit*

hell, we could even have stats in our profiles!

SwiftSpear · Post by **SwiftSpear** » 21 Dec 2005, 09:01

Felix the Cat wrote:Another idea: make it so that registration to this forum is required to download Spring. The forum registration already requires you to assert that you are over 13, so this would solve most of the legal issues.

I don't think that will work well... Spring is an open source project after all, there's no way the SYs can enforce restricted distribution.

Das Bruce · Post by **Das Bruce** » 21 Dec 2005, 09:24

They can restrict the ability to log on however.

Post by **Fnordia** » 21 Dec 2005, 16:25

The forum has that "over 13 required" stuff because I didn't see any simple way of disabling it.

I don't really see why a server hosted in Slovenia (or Sweden for the forum) would want to implement restrictions to adhere to the laws of some other randomly chosen country. Might just as well abide by Afghanistan legislation and not allow women to sign up unsupervised or something similarly silly.

mother · Post by **mother** » 21 Dec 2005, 17:45

Fnordia wrote: Might just as well abide by Afghanistan legislation and not allow women to sign up unsupervised or something similarly silly.

Because that has been SUCH a problem here

Zoombie · Post by **Zoombie** » 21 Dec 2005, 18:47

Is that true about the Afganistan legislation, or a joke?

Felix the Cat · Post by **Felix the Cat** » 22 Dec 2005, 05:31

Fnordia wrote:The forum has that "over 13 required" stuff because I didn't see any simple way of disabling it.

I don't really see why a server hosted in Slovenia (or Sweden for the forum) would want to implement restrictions to adhere to the laws of some other randomly chosen country. Might just as well abide by Afghanistan legislation and not allow women to sign up unsupervised or something similarly silly.

The fact that, at this given moment, 46 of the 61 people in the #main channel are from the United States might give you a clue as to why you may want to comply with US laws. Especially when compliance takes almost zero effort.

Ah, but I almost forgot. America-hating is in effect. My bad.

Das Bruce · Post by **Das Bruce** » 22 Dec 2005, 05:42

It doesn't matter where the users are, the servers in Sweden, and from what I've heard, they let alot of things slide.

And although I'm not the greatest fan of america, +1 point for kicking out psuedo science.

Felix the Cat · Post by **Felix the Cat** » 22 Dec 2005, 05:47

Das Bruce wrote:It doesn't matter where the users are, the servers in Sweden, and from what I've heard, they let alot of things slide.

And although I'm not the greatest fan of america, +1 point for kicking out psuedo science.

rgr that.

I don't think ID even qualifies as pseudoscience.

I'm probably coming across as one of those rabid right-wing uber-nationalists that are always around - which I'm not. I'm actually rather embarassed to live in a nation in which 55% of the population believes in the literal interpretation of creation according to Genesis.

Zoombie · Post by **Zoombie** » 22 Dec 2005, 06:22

Well Felix, just to cheer you up, in big headlines my newspaper just said

"Teaching Intelligent Design in schools in declared Unconstitutional"

Makes you have hope for the human race.

EDIT: now legible

Buggi · Post by **Buggi** » 22 Dec 2005, 06:30

Not if it's spelled like that...

I pity us.

Zoombie · Post by **Zoombie** » 22 Dec 2005, 06:49

No thats just me... or is it?

Spring RTS Engine

Small legal issue

Small legal issue