Forum:Free the Wikia

FREE ALL USERS UNDER 13 TO BE ABLE TO "USE" WIKIA!!! (I am over 13. I wanna free my wiki!) STOP THE UN-FREEDOM!


 * No, that breaks the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (aka COPPA). Wikia can't break federal law. If you have a problem with that, talk to Congress, not Wikia. --Michaeldsuarez (Talk) (Deeds) 00:03, 17 January 2009 (UTC)


 * I think you mean Wikia not We, Michael. -- 00:07, 17 January 2009 (UTC)


 * Whoops, it's fixed now. --Michaeldsuarez (Talk) (Deeds) 00:08, 17 January 2009 (UTC)


 * Isn't the COPPA based in The USA and Europe? Cause I know people from Africa and Asia who do wiki.--Guyman

Wikia, Inc. was incorporated in the United States, so I think that it falls under US jurisdiction. --Michaeldsuarez (Talk) (Deeds) 13:54, 17 January 2009 (UTC)


 * Isn't that unfair to people in Africa? DaHappyface ( Just Say Hi) ☺  04:28, 18 January 2009 (UTC)


 * Probably. But US law is US law. -- S C  M  09:49, 18 January 2009 (UTC)


 * I'm hoping Obama can fix this. The USA doesn't own any other places(besides territory) so they're are acting like dictators or empearor(excuse the spelling). Hopefully Obama can fix this. I met him during the campagin.--Happyface


 * I doubt that the President could change the COPPA. You have to consider over-protective parents who hate video games and the Internet; lobbyists and such are difficult for Congresspersons to deal with. --Michaeldsuarez (Talk) (Deeds) 23:03, 18 January 2009 (UTC)


 * I'm starting to think that some wikis are completely made of kids(Spongebob Wiki)--happyface


 * I have a feeling that those laws will drop the activeness of the wikis way down... I know a guy who's under 13 with over 5000 edits: and he's an awesome editor. Unfortunately he was blocked because of COPPA... Dancing Penguin  http://images1.wikia.nocookie.net/clubpenguin/images/6/6c/Smile_spin.gif (Talk!) 20:39, 19 January 2009 (UTC)
 * COPPA has been here since 1998, so I doubt that it'll cause any further drops in activity. Also, please refrain from giving out personal information about others; it's not yours to give out. --Michaeldsuarez (Talk) (Deeds) 23:50, 19 January 2009 (UTC)


 * More like those laws will just turn our kids into habitual liars. "How old are you?"  "Oh, I'm 21, wanna see my (fake) ID?" -Afker All hail AliceSoft! 18:57, 20 January 2009 (UTC)
 * At that point Wikia is no longer liable for what happens if they are lying about their age. I admit, this is a huge problem, although it is a much bigger problem is you are setting up a website that targets those under 13 than those who are over 13.  Besides, after a few years those who are younger do get older, while those who are older won't ever get younger.  For myself, I would find it amazing if you could have a 10 year old that could organize a coherent sentence and be able to compete against college graduates over content.  Most wiki contributors, from my experience, tend to be older teenagers and college students... with a smattering of older folks like myself who remember Ward's original wiki as a new plaything.  --Robert Horning 19:14, 20 January 2009 (UTC)


 * I know some 11 year old who won 1st place in a Science Fair agaisnt junior high, high school, and college. He's my little bro.--Happyface
 * I don't know of any science fair competition that pits junior high students against college students on equal footings. I am calling this BS for this reason alone.  Don't misconstrue this as suggesting an eleven year old isn't capable of being intelligent and able to write effectively, but it takes time to develop such talents.  Also, this is an issue that time will solve on its own.  Two years from now, your "little bro" won't be eleven any more.
 * It becomes more of a problem when you hit the other end of the age curve and people tell you that you are too old that you start having problems that time only makes worse. --Robert Horning 14:38, 25 January 2009 (UTC)
 * Then you've never been to Asia.--Happyface

I agree with Mariothemovie. Users under 13 should be able to edit in wikias. Why exacly can't these users edit? How many good (or bad) users could there be lying about their age just to edit? Dancing Penguin  http://images1.wikia.nocookie.net/clubpenguin/images/6/6c/Smile_spin.gif (Talk!) 22:05, 25 January 2009 (UTC)
 * This doesn't have anything to do with Wikia. It's breaks the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). Wikia can't break federal law. There isn't anything you can do about it on a Wikia forum. You have to become a lobbyist and pressure the US government, not Wikia. --Michaeldsuarez (Talk) (Deeds) 00:28, 26 January 2009 (UTC)
 * I doubt some teenagers can presure the government...unless they have guns.
 * That's the point I'm trying to make; this discussion isn't going to change federal law. There isn't anything you can do. --Michaeldsuarez (Talk) (Deeds) 01:51, 26 January 2009 (UTC)

This would be great in theory, but the law is the law. Of course, if we were talking about a wiki policy, then I would say that using wikia should be dictated by maturity, not age. However, if some kid comes and brags that he is under 13, then that counts as immature = block. Of course, if you think about it, if a parent lets their kid who's under 13 have free reign on the internet, wiki is their last concern. Laws like that are formed around lazy and uncaring parents; what a world we live in.   Creepydude Editz   Say Some'at Here!   04:16, 27 January 2009 (UTC)