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Discussion Forum Age Restrictions

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  • 17-04-2007 10:05am
    #1
    axer
    Registered Users Posts: 5,517 ✭✭✭


    Hi,

    I run a website that contains a discussion forum that serves a town in Ireland. Is there any laws that people are aware regarding minimum age restrictions for people becoming a member of an online discussion forum? e.g. I see alot of places say about 13 years or older to become a member. Is there anything in Irish law relating to this type of thing?

    Thanks for any help/advice.


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    #2
    seamus
    Registered Users Posts: 68,317 ✭✭✭✭seamus


    No, not really. As a publisher, you will have some legal obligations to ensure that the content is appropriate for the target/possible audience. I would say that this is a legally untested area.

    The 13 years of age thing that you see on this site and with most forum software, is an American thing that comes with the software. Without any kind of actual age verification, it would be tough to argue in court that boards.ie did its best to protect younger viewers from disturbing content. There's also the issue that children under the age of 16 cannot enter a legal contract on their own behalf, so a link saying "I accept and am over 13 years of age", may be completely useless.

    It's something though.


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    #3
    Bob the Builder
    Registered Users Posts: 2,919 ✭✭✭Bob the Builder


    The law that implicates internet content in the US applies that, by law, no website can allow any child <13 years of age to apply for a subscription to a website. It does not apply in Ireland as far as I know, but as seamus said: completely useless.

    There are implications where forums try to prevent people under 13 from accessing there content because they want to be seen as having "children's safety in mind", also that it protects a little bit against spammers, and also that they dont want 12year old mangling the quality of their site.

    Tbh, I think you should go ahead and implement an age restriction of about 11/12, but if it's a community site, it shouldn't be any more than 13 at least...

    ...hope I helped, best of luck.~NevF


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    #4
    axer
    Registered Users Posts: 5,517 ✭✭✭axer


    Thanks guys.


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    #5
    Bob the Builder
    Registered Users Posts: 2,919 ✭✭✭Bob the Builder


    No problem, I was going to find a few links for you to read about the age restrictions but there appears to be little or no info on the topic...


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