User blog comment:Klonoamiyumi/Problems with the COPPA Rule/@comment-5588400-20130531195110

Here's my take on it:

The COPPA rule... Nobody really likes it, but since there are many kids who don't know how to use common sense (or just don't know any better), this rule was made to help keep them out of trouble and harm. Of course, as many have witnessed, people under 13 are still making accounts so making a law like COPPA is pretty useless. This is a law in the US (in which wikia is based), so they must abide.

Sockpuppets- I believe that "socks" on their own aren't a problem. It's just when people abuse said accounts (I don't think I need to explain this any further...)

Asking about age... I don't think asking someone's age should get you banned. In most cases, the age thing is totally innocent (For example: Person one: Hey today is my Birthday! Person 2: Happy birthday! How old are you now?) I think that the user should be banned only if s/he harasses somebody about their age ("How old are you? Tell me now. I bet you're 12. YOU BETTER TELL ME YOUR AGE"), or if s/he keeps asking even after the user declined to give out the information. (So yes, I agree with you Russ).

So, we're pretty much stuck between a rock and a hard place. On one hand, you can just ban the user until they are 13 (they are technically able to go on other wikis, so they still violate T.O.U), and on the other, you can report them and have them banned forever, (which leads to socks and  people being suspicious of new users.)

I would recommend NOT banning them yourselves since there is always the "You knew about this and didn't report it?" argument.

The solution?

Maybe if parents and/or guradians actually gave a rat's ass about what their kids are doing online, COPPA wouldn't even exist, but you know how lazy some people can be...

About the banning of users... I hate to say it, but they should've known the rules before signing up. When you check that "I have read and understood the terms of use" box, you are basically signing a contract between you and the website. So, if they reveal that they're underaged, you must report them because it is not worth having the wiki shut down and getting banned yourself. It all comes down to taking responsibility for your actions.

That's just my long opinion.