COPPA

Posted: Sun Apr 13, 2003 8:04 am (21 years ago)

Hi all,

I have a question and i'm probably putting this in the wrong message board but i think that i'm right being here.

I am running a site based on a popular kids tv show and am using PHPBB (funky aint it?) However a good portion of my members are likley to be under 13 and this is my problem. The coppa regs would not let them into it if they told the truth. I closley monitor the site to ensure that it is sutable and anything not would be removed in a matter of mins!

Other than lying is there another way round this?

Thanks

Team Member Joined: 06 Jan 2002 Posts: 2564

Hi DarkMage,

One important thing to keep in mind with COPPA is that it is only applicable in the USA. Therefore if you are hosted outside the USA, you could simply edit the template and remove the under 13 link, and then edit the language file to have it say 'I agree' instead of 'I agree and am over or exactly 13'. More details on COPPA at http://www.cdt.org/legislation/105th/privacy/coppa.html

Edit: corrected URL

WebHelper Joined: 01 Mar 2003 Posts: 69 Location: Texas

DarkMage78 wrote:

However a good portion of my members are likley to be under 13 and this is my problem. The coppa regs would not let them into it if they told the truth.

COPPA doesn't prevent users under 13 from registering, it just adds an extra step. "Officially" children under 13 have to have their parent's permission to participate in an online community. So by saying they are under 13, they will have to be approved by the admin before participating. That approval is supposed to be granted only after the parents mail or fax in a permission slip.

So it might be a pain, but it doesn't prevent participation, it just delays it. At least that is my understanding.

Dave

WebHelper Joined: 01 Mar 2003 Posts: 69 Location: Texas

Daniel wrote:

More details on COPPA at http://www.forums.34sp.com/viewtopic.php?p=24961#24961

I think that this is the wrong link. Wink

That one talks about using CSS for hypercells.

Is this topic what you meant instead?

Dave

Team Member Joined: 06 Jan 2002 Posts: 2564

I actually meant this:

http://www.cdt.org/legislation/105th/privacy/coppa.html

Embarassed

Posted: Sun Apr 13, 2003 1:51 pm (21 years ago)

From what I've seen on my own forum - someone under 13 registers, stating that they are under 13 - they then find out they have to fill in a form before their account is activated so they simply re-register and this time say they are over 13. you just end up with numerous unactivated registrations Sad

Posted: Sun Apr 13, 2003 8:59 pm (21 years ago)

Thanks for all your help.

I was not aware of the coppa regs until i started to use PHPBB but as i will be here most days the coppa form is not going to be a problem. If they dont like it then they will have to find another forum (there aint one!!)