[MUD-Dev] When Do We Get the "Right" to Privacy?

[Nathan F.Yospe]

J C Lawrence <claw at kanga.nu> said:

> I've recently caught wind of some legal chain rattling with a
> commercial MUD operator which the following post to
> comp.society.privacy targets well (tho in a different field).
> Privacy policies and implementation in regard to not only minors,
> but adults, as relates to their conduct and behaviour on your games:

> --<cut>--

> I don't believe that minors have "rights" the same way adults do.
> Sure, they are just as protected from the government as is everyone
> else but since their parents bear ultimate responsibility for their
> behavior until they reach a certain age, then their parents can do
> such things as search their belongings or forbid them from leaving
> their room, etc.  Obviously, there is a boundary here too.  While
> the courts might allow a parent to forbid their child from leaving
> their room, they are quick to punish the parent who chains their
> child to the wall or ties them up.  IMO, this is good.
 
> My questions to the group are:

> 1.  What right of privacy do you feel children have?
> 2.  How does age affect this right?
> 3.  Where to the rights and responsibilities of parenthood supersede
> those of the kids.?
> 4.  Most importantly, why do you believe as you do?  In the case of
> facts, please cite them.  In the case of opinions, please share (if
> possible) what went into forming them.

> I hope this triggers some good discussion.  I know that this group
> reaches more people than in the USA and I hope they will contribute
> as well.
> --<cut>--

For us, it's not a question of where else they go, just what they do,
or witness, on our muds.  So... do we have age restrictions?  Are we
going, as the adult internet industry is, toward requiring credit data
just for legal reasons (I know, I seriously doubt that's the only
reason sites of that sort want your credit card number too... but I've
never tried their services to confirm that suspicion) and perhaps
restricting features for people who couldn't prove their age?  I don't
even know if cybersex is a real concept on a graphical mud... how
would it...?  Dr. Cat?  I know it isn't something you officially
acknowledge, but, is it an issue?  Would, for example, a parent
proving that their 13 year old daughter had played out some cybersex
scenario on Furcadia leave you open to legal action?

I've got some serious fears every time I see "parental disclosure" on
an online issue.  I used to work in social services as a counselor.
When a parent is after that sort of information, it's more often
connected to a kid in danger from their parent, than from one in
danger from someone on the other end of the line.  We had parents
trying to force disclosure of who their child was in contact with that
turned out to be molestation or physical abuse cases looking for
control to keep the child from spilling their secret...  and this with
similar suits against the schools.  There are legitimate cases... but
most of those address *specific* issues with a counselor at the
school, express their concerns, etc.  Lawsuits are an indicator of
something else...  and disclosing anthing, as an admin, for any
reason, to someone other than the individual in question, is quite a
frightening prospect.

Personally, I feel we have the same responsibility toward our guests
as, for example, a hotel/resort manager has toward his or her guests.
There is no right to disclosure granted to the parent, obviously.
There is an inherent right to deny access to the resort.  The resort
is responsible, if not always fulfillingly so, for reporting crimes
occuring within.  If a guest confesses to a crime, or reports a crime,
in a public place, the resort is also liable for withholding this
information.  This applies to us as well... but areas we lable as
private should be just that.  When a player goes into such an area, we
should log no data... but entrance and egress from such area is still
evidence, should the case arise, and when it comes down to it, we
should be able to provide those records as well.  In a dated backed up
format, preferably.  I intend to tar all player and character
activities and related environs, save private regions.

--
Nathan F. Yospe  email: yospe at kanga.nu nyospe at a2i.com nyospe at pacbell.net
Don't mind me, I'm just insane - there's someone else here, in my brain. 


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