RIP School Survival Forums
August 2001 - June 2017

The School Survival Forums are permanently retired. If you need help with quitting school, unsupportive parents or anything else, there is a list of resources on the Help Page.

If you want to write about your experiences in school, you can write on our blog.

To everyone who joined these forums at some point, and got discouraged by the negativity and left after a while (or even got literally scared off): I'm sorry.

I wasn't good enough at encouraging people to be kinder, and removing people who refuse to be kind. Encouraging people is hard, and removing people creates conflict, and I hate conflict... so that's why I wasn't better at it.

I was a very, very sensitive teen. The atmosphere of this forum as it is now, if it had existed in 1996, would probably have upset me far more than it would have helped.

I can handle quite a lot of negativity and even abuse now, but that isn't the point. I want to help people. I want to help the people who need it the most, and I want to help people like the 1996 version of me.

I'm still figuring out the best way to do that, but as it is now, these forums are doing more harm than good, and I can't keep running them.

Thank you to the few people who have tried to understand my point of view so far. I really, really appreciate you guys. You are beautiful people.

Everyone else: If after everything I've said so far, you still don't understand my motivations, I think it's unlikely that you will. We're just too different. Maybe someday in the future it might make sense, but until then, there's no point in arguing about it. I don't have the time or the energy for arguing anymore. I will focus my time and energy on people who support me, and those who need help.

-SoulRiser

The forums are mostly read-only and are in a maintenance/testing phase, before being permanently archived. Please use this time to get the contact details of people you'd like to keep in touch with. My contact details are here.

Please do not make a mirror copy of the forums in their current state - things will still change, and some people have requested to be able to edit or delete some of their personal info.


Post Reply 
 
Thread Rating:
  • 1 Vote(s) - 5 Average
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
COPPA is bullshit.
Author Message
ghhking Offline
Rebel

Posts: 14
Joined: Jan 2013
Thanks: 2
Given 0 thank(s) in 0 post(s)
Post: #1
COPPA is bullshit.

So. My first non-welcome thread. Okay, I'll make it good.

I'd like to talk about a shitty American law called COPPA. Commence Wikipedia:

Quote:The Children's Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998 (COPPA) is a United States federal law, located at 15 U.S.C. §§ 6501–6506 (Pub.L. 105–277, 112 Stat. 2581-728, enacted October 21, 1998).
The act, effective April 21, 2000, applies to the online collection of personal information by persons or entities under U.S. jurisdiction from children under 13 years of age. It details what a website operator must include in a privacy policy, when and how to seek verifiable consent from a parent or guardian, and what responsibilities an operator has to protect children's privacy and safety online including restrictions on the marketing to those under 13. While children under 13 can legally give out personal information with their parents' permission, many websites altogether disallow underage children from using their services due to the amount of paperwork involved.

Quote:The FTC has brought a number of actions against website operators for failure to comply with COPPA requirements, including actions against Girl's Life, Inc.,[4] American Pop Corn Company,[5] Lisa Frank, Inc.,[6] Mrs. Field's Cookies, and Hershey Foods.[7] In September 2006, the FTC levied substantial fines on several enterprises for COPPA violations. The website Xanga was fined US$1 million for COPPA violations, for repeatedly allowing children under 13 to sign up for the service without getting their parent's consent.[8] Similarly, UMG Recordings, Inc. was fined US$400,000 for COPPA violations in connection with a Web site that promoted the then 13-year-old pop star Lil' Romeo, and hosted child-oriented games and activities, and Bonzi Software, which offered downloads of an animated figure "BonziBuddy" that provided shopping advice, jokes, and trivia was fined US$75,000 for COPPA violations.[9]

TL;DR: COPPA is a bullshit law enacted by the US. Simply put, it means that without a parents permission, you cannot join a website until you are 13. It is an attempt to stop child abusers, but instead it strips kids of their rights even more.

A great post by Martin Sutherland on the subject

After this analysis, I have deemed the US Government to be a bunch of corrupt f*ckwads. But we already knew that, right?
(This post was last modified: 01-27-2013 01:51 PM by ghhking.)
01-27-2013 01:51 PM
Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
Ky Offline
Shadow

Posts: 5,201
Joined: Aug 2012
Thanks: 1794
Given 1469 thank(s) in 972 post(s)
Post: #2
COPPA is bullshit.

I'm familiar with COPPA. Back when I was a wikiHow user, I had to convince the new users that kept putting "I'm in fifth grade" or some shit in their descriptions to take it down as soon as possible. It didn't work - they were banned too early, most of the time.

Public Service Announcement: First world problems are still problems.
01-27-2013 03:25 PM
Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
AtheistLGBTQAnarchist Offline
Peace Loving Blood Lover

Posts: 713
Joined: Sep 2012
Thanks: 15
Given 47 thank(s) in 36 post(s)
Post: #3
COPPA is bullshit.

Because we just can't arrest the right people or sue the right people ever.

Congratulations humanity,because you refuse to let go of the old and evolve you actually make people believe in 2012. Not only that, but you're the only species on Earth that were able to make it possible, now we get to sit until we die because we couldn't get to Mars. We have failed as a society and don't deserve our gifts to survive for this long. Maybe this is why dinosaurs are extinct, we sure aren't any better than the dirt you say we're created from. http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pla...DvwSOFto#! Noo

"Imagination is more important than knowledge."
-Albert Einstein

"He who sacrifices freedom for security deserves neither."
-Benjamin Franklin
01-28-2013 02:31 AM
Visit this user's website Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
SoulRiser Offline
Site Founder

Posts: 18,240
Joined: Aug 2001
Thanks: 2669
Given 1978 thank(s) in 1208 post(s)
Post: #4
COPPA is bullshit.

Hah, I remember when these forums ran on phpBB, COPPA was enabled in the forums and there was no way to turn it off without hacking the source code and forcibly removing it.

At least on this one it's optional. No way in hell I'm ever turning that shit on.

Actually I think I read somewhere that it is legally optional unless the site in question uses members' details for marketing purposes or somesuch. I don't remember though. Still, any restriction should be on the website, not make it harder for kids to use sites.

"If you can, help others; if you cannot do that, at least do not harm them." - Dalai Lama
Help & Support - Get help with leaving school, unsupportive parents, and more.
Click here if school makes you depressed or suicidal

Support School Survival on Patreon or Donate Bitcoin Here: 1Q5WCcxWjayniaL92b8GfXBiGdfjmnUNa2
"Believe those who are seeking the truth. Doubt those who find it." - André Paul Guillaume Gide
"The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination." - Albert Einstein
"I'm pretty sure there's a lot of beauty that can only be found in the mind of a lunatic." - TheCancer
EIPD - Emotionally Incompetent Parent Disorder

Push Button for Collection of Useful Links:
Hidden stuff:
01-28-2013 09:00 PM
Visit this user's website Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
Kundalini Offline
(Divine Consiousness)

Posts: 49
Joined: Jan 2013
Thanks: 10
Given 5 thank(s) in 5 post(s)
Post: #5
RE: COPPA is bullshit.

Doesn't this site run on MyBB now? On Hack Forums (a MyBB forum) it's enabled.
01-28-2013 10:38 PM
Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
Trekkie_Aspie Offline
Fanatic

Posts: 1,151
Joined: Jun 2007
Thanks: 6
Given 120 thank(s) in 87 post(s)
Post: #6
RE: COPPA is bullshit.

Soul, it's legally optional unless:

a)The site is commercial (i.e. uses information for marketing purposes)

and

b)The site is based in the U.S.

If I seem rude to you, please call me on it gently.
One thing (among many others) school couldn't teach you.

((Google Asperger's Syndrome))

stupid article
01-28-2013 10:44 PM
Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
SoulRiser Offline
Site Founder

Posts: 18,240
Joined: Aug 2001
Thanks: 2669
Given 1978 thank(s) in 1208 post(s)
Post: #7
COPPA is bullshit.

@Infamouz, yes it is myBB, but I can disable COPPA in the admin section.

@Trekkie, thanks for the clarification, I thought it was something like that.

"If you can, help others; if you cannot do that, at least do not harm them." - Dalai Lama
Help & Support - Get help with leaving school, unsupportive parents, and more.
Click here if school makes you depressed or suicidal

Support School Survival on Patreon or Donate Bitcoin Here: 1Q5WCcxWjayniaL92b8GfXBiGdfjmnUNa2
"Believe those who are seeking the truth. Doubt those who find it." - André Paul Guillaume Gide
"The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination." - Albert Einstein
"I'm pretty sure there's a lot of beauty that can only be found in the mind of a lunatic." - TheCancer
EIPD - Emotionally Incompetent Parent Disorder

Push Button for Collection of Useful Links:
Hidden stuff:
01-29-2013 01:36 AM
Visit this user's website Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
Trekkie_Aspie Offline
Fanatic

Posts: 1,151
Joined: Jun 2007
Thanks: 6
Given 120 thank(s) in 87 post(s)
Post: #8
RE: COPPA is bullshit.

I believe the site is an Italian citizen, isn't it, Soul?

If I seem rude to you, please call me on it gently.
One thing (among many others) school couldn't teach you.

((Google Asperger's Syndrome))

stupid article
01-29-2013 02:05 AM
Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
SoulRiser Offline
Site Founder

Posts: 18,240
Joined: Aug 2001
Thanks: 2669
Given 1978 thank(s) in 1208 post(s)
Post: #9
COPPA is bullshit.

Site's hosted in either the US or Canada, not sure where actually. I'm pretty sure the site isn't a citizen of any country though. Smile

"If you can, help others; if you cannot do that, at least do not harm them." - Dalai Lama
Help & Support - Get help with leaving school, unsupportive parents, and more.
Click here if school makes you depressed or suicidal

Support School Survival on Patreon or Donate Bitcoin Here: 1Q5WCcxWjayniaL92b8GfXBiGdfjmnUNa2
"Believe those who are seeking the truth. Doubt those who find it." - André Paul Guillaume Gide
"The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination." - Albert Einstein
"I'm pretty sure there's a lot of beauty that can only be found in the mind of a lunatic." - TheCancer
EIPD - Emotionally Incompetent Parent Disorder

Push Button for Collection of Useful Links:
Hidden stuff:
01-29-2013 07:11 AM
Visit this user's website Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
Trekkie_Aspie Offline
Fanatic

Posts: 1,151
Joined: Jun 2007
Thanks: 6
Given 120 thank(s) in 87 post(s)
Post: #10
RE: COPPA is bullshit.

Ah well, it isn't commercial, so it doesn't matter anyway. And citizen in the same sense that a corporation can be a person.

If I seem rude to you, please call me on it gently.
One thing (among many others) school couldn't teach you.

((Google Asperger's Syndrome))

stupid article
01-29-2013 07:12 AM
Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
HawkbitAlpha Offline
Pariah

Posts: 551
Joined: Jan 2013
Thanks: 657
Given 95 thank(s) in 67 post(s)
Post: #11
COPPA is bullshit.

COPPA got me banned from one of the YSFlight forums once...

http://www.ysfhq.com/phpbb3

RIP GWEDIN (2013-2017)
RIP URITIYOGI (2016-2017)
RIP NIGHT (2009-2017)
RIP VONUNOV (2008-2017)
RIP WES/THEWAKE (2007-2017)
RIP USERNAME (2013-2017)
RIP HAWKBIT (2013-2017)
RIP SS

"Write me a little report of [my video], so I know you watched it, or you get another warning. One of my other goals is to make this forum a bit of my own class...So, tell me, how you feel about the new rule of having you do homework? Or you get another warning. So, do you want to do this or not?...Please send a PM and tell me if you're willing or not. I will probably give you 24 hours to send the PM. No PM will indicate to me that, no, you don't want to do things in this new way. So, you will be saying goodbye."
-Stevehein, promise-maker and Führer moderator of SJW-Survival, 2017

Hidden stuff:
02-06-2013 01:42 AM
Visit this user's website Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
Post Reply 


Possibly Related Threads...
Thread: Author Replies: Views: Last Post
  COPPA Rebag102 7 4,956 07-04-2014 03:01 PM
Last Post: James Comey

Forum Jump:


User(s) browsing this thread: 1 Guest(s)

Contact Us | School Survival | Return to Top | Return to Content | Mobile Version | RSS Syndication