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#1 2007-06-06 15:17:55
LIcensing by Minors
IANAL, but it seems to me that the licensing of submitted projects under CC-BY-SA is a house of cards for a number of reasons, but particularly because you don't know if a project is submitted by a minor, who probably does not have the legal authority to license his or her work. Not that I have any bright ideas for solving the problem, since getting a legally-binding parent's "signature" is probably a mess in this context as well.
Has any thought been given to this issue?
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#2 2007-06-06 16:48:59
Re: LIcensing by Minors
Interesting thought. I don't know the answer to this one either, as this is an issue that goes well beyond just Scratch and fits with nearly every user-generated content website on the internet, including things like Wikipedia and You Tube. Both of those websites, while not explicitly for minors, do allow contributions from minors.
This website (Scratch) does go beyond this, however, and is encouraging children to participate as children. Having a child's account "authorized" by verification from a parent/guardian's e-mail account in lieu of a signature seems like something that may be a little more reasonable, and something I've seen on other children's oriented websites. One that comes to mind is this one:
http://clubpenguin.com/ (I'm not plugging this website other than as example of a minor-oriented website seeking parental permissions.)
It is a good point to raise, however.
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#4 2007-06-06 19:59:32
- kevin_karplus
- Scratcher
- Registered: 2007-04-27
- Posts: 1000+
Re: LIcensing by Minors
The problem has nothing to do with ageism on the part of the Scratch team, but with the legal definition of a minor. By definition, minors are not legally able to enter into binding contracts.
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#5 2007-06-20 17:18:16
- HoboPrimate
- Scratcher
- Registered: 2007-06-20
- Posts: 13
Re: LIcensing by Minors
"By definition, minors are not legally able to enter into binding contracts." It could be disputed if the CC-SA license is the same as a binding contract.
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#7 2007-07-31 00:49:12
Re: LIcensing by Minors
What's a binding contract?
eyra
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#8 2007-07-31 13:37:52
- kevin_karplus
- Scratcher
- Registered: 2007-04-27
- Posts: 1000+
Re: LIcensing by Minors
Read the Wikipedia articles on "contract" and "minor(law)"
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#10 2010-05-04 05:50:39
- Paddle2See
- Scratch Team
- Registered: 2007-10-27
- Posts: 1000+
Re: LIcensing by Minors
lolly1700 wrote:
I LOVE SCRATCH AND MOSHI MONSTERS MORE THAN CP ◵ but i have a cp account and it has membership i still go on it but only 2 days a month<
Hi lolly1700 - It's nice to see you using the forums! However, please be sure that what you are posting belongs on the topic that you are putting it on. This post here doesn't seem to relate to "Licensing by Minors". It seems like it might have been better if you had made your own topic in the "All About Scratch" forum.
Here's some more information on how to use the forums:
http://scratch.mit.edu/forums/viewtopic.php?id=20859
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#11 2010-05-04 08:07:49
Re: LIcensing by Minors
That's a murky area...
Are we speaking of minors by USA law? (since MIT is North-American and this site is probably hosted there) By the law of the country of origin of the child?
Thus are we speaking of US law or other country's law?
Beside, we don't even know if the concern of the original poster is valid or not... I suppose MIT has lawyers and that they have scrutinized the site on its legal sides, anyway.
Last note: where is the suggestion in the original message?
Last edited by Phi_Lho (2010-05-04 08:08:29)
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#12 2010-05-04 08:31:30
Re: LIcensing by Minors
Phi_Lho wrote:
That's a murky area...
Are we speaking of minors by USA law? (since MIT is North-American and this site is probably hosted there) By the law of the country of origin of the child?
Thus are we speaking of US law or other country's law?
Beside, we don't even know if the concern of the original poster is valid or not... I suppose MIT has lawyers and that they have scrutinized the site on its legal sides, anyway.
Last note: where is the suggestion in the original message?
Sorry to break it to you, but this topic has been out of use for a number of years.
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why are you talking crazy#15 2010-05-22 09:55:17
- shamrocker
- Scratcher
- Registered: 2009-03-19
- Posts: 1000+
Re: LIcensing by Minors
Mick wrote:
Club Penguin is really cool!!! (But not as cool s Scratch!!!!!!!! SCRATCH FOREVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!...........................).
Hey Mick! I'm sorry, but this post doesn't seem to be about licensing to minors, which the topic is about. Please keep to the topic when posting. Scratch On!
On Topic:I think it should be legal, but hey, I'm 9. Of course I think it should be legal. 
respect the oxford comma
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#16 2010-05-22 10:19:48
Re: LIcensing by Minors
shamrocker wrote:
Mick wrote:
Club Penguin is really cool!!! (But not as cool s Scratch!!!!!!!! SCRATCH FOREVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!...........................).
Hey Mick! I'm sorry, but this post doesn't seem to be about licensing to minors, which the topic is about. Please keep to the topic when posting. Scratch On!
On Topic:I think it should be legal, but hey, I'm 9. Of course I think it should be legal.
Sorry to break it to you, but Mick posted that back in 2007. He also went on to be a very successful Scratcher 
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