Tom, question on game content....

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Jun 5 2001, 1:59 pm
In response to LexyBitch

i did. or they sent me one first. and i said i had the disclaimer made. i did not say i made it. and yes it was legal. as i also said befor.. they sent me a letter. i answered it. then i was left alone.

On 6/5/01 4:35 pm LexyBitch wrote:
The point of my example is that none of that stuff... posting the blueprints, or having a free version of the park... makes the pay version of the park legal. It is still and always will be patently illegal. Now, look at my example, and change "theme park" back to "server." The fact is, it doesn't matter what the medium is... the same rules apply. What you are doing is illegal. You think you've found a clever way to get around the law, but if that clever little way actually worked, everyone would do it, and there would be (for instance) Disney Worlds all over the place.

There's reason lawyers go to law school, Jobe. Even the cleverest of us little boys and girls will never "outsmart" the law, except by sheer luck. Your Star Wars game is under the radar for now. If you're sure it's legal, don't tell me about it... send Lucas Arts a letter of inquiry, telling them exactly what you've told us, asking them if what you're doing with the pay server is legal.
Jun 5 2001, 2:01 pm
In response to jobe
Did any of these letters mention the "pay" aspect of the site?

On 6/5/01 4:59 pm jobe wrote:
i did. or they sent me one first. and i said i had the disclaimer made. i did not say i made it. and yes it was legal. as i also said befor.. they sent me a letter. i answered it. then i was left alone.

On 6/5/01 4:35 pm LexyBitch wrote:
The point of my example is that none of that stuff... posting the blueprints, or having a free version of the park... makes the pay version of the park legal. It is still and always will be patently illegal. Now, look at my example, and change "theme park" back to "server." The fact is, it doesn't matter what the medium is... the same rules apply. What you are doing is illegal. You think you've found a clever way to get around the law, but if that clever little way actually worked, everyone would do it, and there would be (for instance) Disney Worlds all over the place.

There's reason lawyers go to law school, Jobe. Even the cleverest of us little boys and girls will never "outsmart" the law, except by sheer luck. Your Star Wars game is under the radar for now. If you're sure it's legal, don't tell me about it... send Lucas Arts a letter of inquiry, telling them exactly what you've told us, asking them if what you're doing with the pay server is legal.
Jun 5 2001, 10:51 pm
In response to Spuzzum
lol, i didnt know that, that is funny
well, i know alot more about the forums in byond now
thanks
FIREking
(didnt feel like copying and pasting the signature today)
Jun 7 2001, 5:57 am
In response to Deadron

I think it's a little more complicated than that. Thanks to some "save the children" legislation, there are cases where you are required to check the age of your players and not allow people 13 or below (I believe) to access it.

If this becomes a big issue and I get the sense that it is going to jeapordize the rest of BYOND, I think we may need to add an age flag to the key for people who want one so they can get admitted to restricted areas. Right now, I don't want to accept responsibility for verifying the age, though, so content providers are on their own right now!

We will also have to provide audience-based filtering in the hub when the time comes... Until then, we're going to have to dissallow submissions that seem especially flagrant.

Jun 7 2001, 7:05 am
In response to Dan
On 6/7/01 8:57 am Dan wrote:
I think it's a little more complicated than that. Thanks to some "save the children" legislation, there are cases where you are required to check the age of your players and not allow people 13 or below (I believe) to access it.

If this becomes a big issue and I get the sense that it is going to jeapordize the rest of BYOND, I think we may need to add an age flag to the key for people who want one so they can get admitted to restricted areas. Right now, I don't want to accept responsibility for verifying the age, though, so content providers are on their own right now!

I'd recommend doing some research (possibly even getting some legal advice) on this whole "children on the Internet" thing, so you can understand your responsibility as a hub for these games, and maybe provide pointers for developers so they understand their obligation.

I don't much much about it, except that new laws were passed a year or so ago which caused EverQuest to instantly do a big change to how they handled accounts to assure that people under 13 or so were not getting accounts.

Maybe the EFF (Electronic Freedom Foundation) would have some information...
Jun 7 2001, 7:37 am
In response to Deadron
Maybe the EFF (Electronic Freedom Foundation) would have some information...

Here's one link. A search for "COPPA" should produce many more.

http://www.kidsprivacy.org/
Jun 7 2001, 7:54 am
In response to Gughunter
On 6/7/01 10:37 am Gughunter wrote:
Maybe the EFF (Electronic Freedom Foundation) would have some information...

Here's one link. A search for "COPPA" should produce many more.

http://www.kidsprivacy.org/

Hmm you know we should put links like this and the copyright link that Lexy posted in the FAQ...
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