Do I have to wait for my 19th anniversary of MFGG badge?

[integerbang]

Ped, I think you mean well, but you're taking things a liiiiiiiiiiiittle too seriously. It's a tiny little nonprofit community where a significant percentage of our users (including, once upon a time, our very own founder!) are younger than 13.

While MFGG isn't technically registered as a nonprofit organization, it isn't a business either. We don't engage in any commercial activity or monetize user data.

He isn't technically wrong. Even if you don't monetize the user's data, collecting information from users that are under 13 can still make a community legally liable (regardless if it's non-profit or not).

That's the most I'll say on this matter though.

[Pedigree]

It doesn't matter that this is a small non-commercial community, you are still expected to abide by COPPA laws.

 

[Shadow Administrator Drei]

Ped, I think you mean well, but you're taking things a liiiiiiiiiiiittle too seriously. It's a tiny little nonprofit community where a significant percentage of our users (including, once upon a time, our very own founder!) are younger than 13.

While MFGG isn't technically registered as a nonprofit organization, it isn't a business either. We don't engage in any commercial activity or monetize user data.

(Also, just to make sure you understand, MyBB is a piece of open-source software - the creators and contributors have no control over what people do with it - and it doesn't even include a COPPA compliance feature. Also, we don't ask for your age when you register a new account.)

But agree to disagree.

ah, the perfect legal defense. just saying you disagree

Proud member of the Shadow ██████████████

[Pedigree]

 

[Pedigree]

By the way, Vinny, MyBB did have COPPA compliance stuff. MW uses MyBB too and just edited the 13 + stuff out to write their own 18+ disclaimer.

The features offered by MyBB for COPPA compliance were super limited but they were absolutely there and I'm guessing staff had to deliberately disable them.

 

[VinnyVideo]

It's been three years since I first set up MyBB, and upon further review, there is a COPPA setting buried near the bottom of the configuration settings in the Admin Control Panel. I don't know how it works, though, since no one ever tried to test it. I think it was disabled by default, but I don't remember with certainty. I also see an optional forum mailing address and fax number (yes, I'm serious - that's how long ago COPPA was written) if you want to enable this setting. The description for this setting includes a link to an external Web site about COPPA... and it's a 404 error.

phpBB had a lot more COPPA compliance features built into the software, like a COPPA pending group that was included by default. (JaxBoards, another forum system I use, doesn't have any COPPA features at all.)

I'm not an expert in this matter (I don't think anyone here is), but I don't think MFGG is doing anything wrong or illegal here. Even if we're technically not complying with the letter of the law, I think the risk of MFGG getting in trouble is microscopic.

If you really want to start throwing the book at MFGG - and thousands of other nonprofit forums and blogs - I'm sure we're not fully compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Similarly, while I wrote a really rudimentary privacy policy a couple of years ago, it was never intended to be a bulletproof defense against the GDPR (and similar privacy legislation that other states and countries are working on).

That's all I'm going to say - I'm much older than 13 now and no longer have time to argue about stuff on the Internet!

Course clear! You got a card.

[Shadow Administrator Drei]

It's been three years since I first set up MyBB, and upon further review, there is a COPPA setting buried near the bottom of the configuration settings in the Admin Control Panel. I don't know how it works, though, since no one ever tried to test it. I think it was disabled by default, but I don't remember with certainty. I also see an optional forum mailing address and fax number (yes, I'm serious - that's how long ago COPPA was written) if you want to enable this setting. The description for this setting includes a link to an external Web site about COPPA... and it's a 404 error.

phpBB had a lot more COPPA compliance features built into the software, like a COPPA pending group that was included by default. (JaxBoards, another forum system I use, doesn't have any COPPA features at all.)

I'm not an expert in this matter (I don't think anyone here is), but I don't think MFGG is doing anything wrong or illegal here. Even if we're technically not complying with the letter of the law, I think the risk of MFGG getting in trouble is microscopic.

If you really want to start throwing the book at MFGG - and thousands of other nonprofit forums and blogs - I'm sure we're not fully compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Similarly, while I wrote a really rudimentary privacy policy a couple of years ago, it was never intended to be a bulletproof defense against the GDPR (and similar privacy legislation that other states and countries are working on).

That's all I'm going to say - I'm much older than 13 now and no longer have time to argue about stuff on the Internet!

You reallocate any points into romance when you hit that mental development completion achievement?

Proud member of the Shadow ██████████████

[Pedigree]

>admit you're not an expert
>but claim that the risk from violating the law is microscopic
Yeah, I really don't think MFGG should be taking legal advice from you.

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>I'm not 13 and no longer have time to argue on internet
You've been arguing about this for multiple days already lol

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>We're technically not compliant with the ADA
Ok so we should just violate the law and allow kids under 13? lol what

 

[GothGirlGangBlasterMaster]

It's been three years since I first set up MyBB, and upon further review, there is a COPPA setting buried near the bottom of the configuration settings in the Admin Control Panel. I don't know how it works, though, since no one ever tried to test it. I think it was disabled by default, but I don't remember with certainty. I also see an optional forum mailing address and fax number (yes, I'm serious - that's how long ago COPPA was written) if you want to enable this setting. The description for this setting includes a link to an external Web site about COPPA... and it's a 404 error.

phpBB had a lot more COPPA compliance features built into the software, like a COPPA pending group that was included by default. (JaxBoards, another forum system I use, doesn't have any COPPA features at all.)

I'm not an expert in this matter (I don't think anyone here is), but I don't think MFGG is doing anything wrong or illegal here. Even if we're technically not complying with the letter of the law, I think the risk of MFGG getting in trouble is microscopic.

If you really want to start throwing the book at MFGG - and thousands of other nonprofit forums and blogs - I'm sure we're not fully compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Similarly, while I wrote a really rudimentary privacy policy a couple of years ago, it was never intended to be a bulletproof defense against the GDPR (and similar privacy legislation that other states and countries are working on).

That's all I'm going to say - I'm much older than 13 now and no longer have time to argue about stuff on the Internet!

Wild post, Vinny, I never would have thought of the situation the way you do!
Would you like to join the Minus World discord?

for any inquiries please contact me in hell

[Yoshin]

all it takes is someone to report mfgg and someone gets a huge fine

Lando Never Dies
pfp by Plasmi

[Pedigree]

is vinny offering to pay that fine

 

[Hyper]

Initially I am neutral on this matter but with developing information I am receiving, I think handling DMCA dispute would be easier to be dealt with compared to something like COPPA. I don't have much understandings when it comes to laws in a detailed manner but matters like this need to be taken very seriously even by the slightest chance.

Although I said I don't have much understandings with laws, the DMCA part is what I can understand a bit more.

On a side note, since this discussion has swayed off from the original topic. Shall we split the topic?

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Main Site | YouTube | Bluesky | My OC

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[Rayyan]

This is still going... Ok bye!

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Initially I am neutral on this matter but with developing information I am receiving, I think handling DMCA dispute would be easier to be dealt with compared to something like COPPA. I don't have much understandings when it comes to laws in a detailed manner but matters like this need to be taken very seriously even by the slightest chance.

Although I said I don't have much understandings with laws, the DMCA part is what I can understand a bit more.

On a side note, since this discussion has swayed off from the original topic. Shall we split the topic?

Yeah, it's better to do that...

[Vert]

if mfgg is a non-profit site why would coppa even matter when it doesn't apply

you guys need to chill with the vinny hate btw lol

[Mors]

Non-profit websites are exempt from COPPA, at least that's what I gather from this:

The Act and the Rule expressly state that they apply to commercial websites and not to nonprofits that would otherwise be exempt from coverage under Section 5 of the FTC Act. Thus, in general, most nonprofits are not subject to the Rule. However, nonprofits that operate for the benefit of their for-profit members may be subject to the Rule. See FTC v. California Dental Association 526 U.S. 756 (1999), for additional guidance on when nonprofits are subject to FTC jurisdiction. Although public-benefit nonprofits are not subject to COPPA, it would be good for them to set an example by posting privacy policies and providing the protections set forth in COPPA to children providing personal information at their sites.

What I understand from this is that this is not something we have to worry about since we aren't making any profit off of this site. I brought this up in the staff channel too but I probably should've said it here to remove all the confusion especially when considering it seems like no one pays me attention there.

EDIT: Though I gotta also mention that regardless of whether if we are compliant or not, I think an age limit for the forums would be... well, nice.

3DS: 4313-6691-8820
Switch: SW-7679-1093-9792

play my fangame pls

[Pedigree]

Nonprofit entities mentioned in the exemption are specifically registered nonprofit organizations such as churches and animal shelters. MFGG is not legally registered as a nonprofit organization and is not covered by this exemption. This is already stated earlier in this thread lmao

it even specifically mentions that they are referring to public benefit nonprofits in this clause, which is a type of corporation and does not apply to MFGG

https://www.score.org/resource/public-be...rporations

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Plus I'll just link to something posted by Nova in Discord: https://discordapp.com/channels/52721626...3977580654

Message boards are specifically mentioned by the FTC as subject to COPPA because the information they collect is publicly accessible.

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Even if you were to attempt to register as a nonprofit organization, which I do not advise you to do since this site is based on derivative works of intellectual property, you would have to prove that MFGG provides a public benefit to be eligible for this exemption. And it does not.

 

[Fun With Despair]

It's been three years since I first set up MyBB, and upon further review, there is a COPPA setting buried near the bottom of the configuration settings in the Admin Control Panel. I don't know how it works, though, since no one ever tried to test it. I think it was disabled by default, but I don't remember with certainty. I also see an optional forum mailing address and fax number (yes, I'm serious - that's how long ago COPPA was written) if you want to enable this setting. The description for this setting includes a link to an external Web site about COPPA... and it's a 404 error.

phpBB had a lot more COPPA compliance features built into the software, like a COPPA pending group that was included by default. (JaxBoards, another forum system I use, doesn't have any COPPA features at all.)

I'm not an expert in this matter (I don't think anyone here is), but I don't think MFGG is doing anything wrong or illegal here. Even if we're technically not complying with the letter of the law, I think the risk of MFGG getting in trouble is microscopic.

If you really want to start throwing the book at MFGG - and thousands of other nonprofit forums and blogs - I'm sure we're not fully compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Similarly, while I wrote a really rudimentary privacy policy a couple of years ago, it was never intended to be a bulletproof defense against the GDPR (and similar privacy legislation that other states and countries are working on).

That's all I'm going to say - I'm much older than 13 now and no longer have time to argue about stuff on the Internet!

You reallocate any points into romance when you hit that mental development completion achievement?

Do you really need to resort to ad hominem? I'm actually fully on the side of enforcing COPPA entirely myself, but with posts like this I question whether you are even 13 yourself in the first place. For someone who prides himself on being the big brained always right guy, you really need to f***ing grow up.

[Fun With Despair]

Anyway, we've already decided that we will add a rule requiring users to be 13+. Any further discussion on the topic is pointless ego fuel for those involved. It's happening, so stop fighting like wild animals over how much you want us to add something that we're adding anyway.

Thanks.