COPPA (Child's Online Privacy Protection Act.) isn't actually about making sites 13 and up, They wanted to make it so that parents would be able to decide about what sites their kids could go on. Of course any kid can easily just say "Yes I'm over 13." So I ask you, Is it really effective? I mean it's just not working. You've heard that over 7.5 million underaged users are on Facebook. I don't see what they mean by "Protecting" kids. I mean there are Pedophiles and stuff online, but kids know not to give up their addresses online. If they don't, their parents should make it clear to them. You're no safer walking down the street then you are browsing the web. Really it's because some people believe that Age = Maturity. It does not. I know some kids way more mature than their peers, some 10 yr olds more mature than 13 yr olds. They're just more mature than their peers. Anyway Kids watch South Park, Family Guy, American Dad, etc. And kids who watch R and PG-13 Movies. Has Anyone here not played T and M rated games? If it's on the internet, what makes it different? They should either make COPPA like it was intended to be, and let parents monitor their kids, or just get rid of the Law all together. I mean it's clearly not stopping kids from getting on Facebook and the like. What do you think?

I wanna fix a mistake up there. I meant to say "Has anyone here not played T and M rated rated games when they were kids?"

Yes i see your point when i was under thirteen i just said i was thirteen and not once did it stop me. I think its silly yet there are so many useless laws created because the idea sounded good but don't do anything its laughable. Fun fact did you know most Americans break numerous laws every day A lot of the time without even knowing.

I remember playing resident evil, manhunt 2, GTA san andreas, medal of honor, tenchu, before turning 13

I think the problem is that the internet is a relatively new yet massively expansive network and, as such, no one really knows how to 'police' it effectively yet. That's why we see bills like COPPA, CISPA and a multitude of other laws and proposals from around the world about safeguarding the internet or dealing with the problems that can arise on it.

I've always believed that the onus for good behaviour and staying safe online falls on the person utilizing the internet and not the lawmakers. It's a global network and the legislation of a single nation is going to do little to change the things that go on online - the best way to deal with the dangers of the internet is to educate our children not enforce some strict boundaries on them.

in theory COPPA is effective, but in actuality... no its not

It's a global network and the legislation of a single nation is going to do little to change the things that go on online

1 country can't make laws for the entire world.
thats why it pisses me of that some nation is still trying to do so, once in a while.

anyway...
these ratings are more a guide then a law, right?

anyway...
these ratings are more a guide then a law, right?

Sort of for video games you buy at a store
So I guess that works as intended to educate parents.

Its the 13 and up for online accounts and the like that's ineffective.

You know, this law is actually extremely Ageist.

-Spirit

If kids want something, then they will get it.

no little box saying

"are you 13?"
|__________|

will stop them.

Don't pull the ageism card here, kiddo, there are laws that're necessary to protect children and then there's actual ageism.