Let’s emphasize the word “appears” in that headline.
There’s an interesting discussion going on over at Google Blogoscoped regarding Google’s terms of service, which apparently prohibit those under the age 18 from Googling. Writes Roger Brown in the blog’s forum:
From the Google Terms of Service:
“Your use of Google’s … web sites … is subject to the terms of a legal agreement between you and Google … You may not use the Services and may not accept the Terms if … you are not of legal age to form a binding contract with Google”
Probably every schoolchild in the developed world is breaking Google’s Terms of Service. How can lawyers be so far out of touch with how the web works?
The conundrum would appear to be that a while a person must (legally speaking) accept the terms of service in order to use the site, those under 18 are legally prohibited from entering into non-essential contracts, which a search engine’s terms of use would most certainly be. In short: If kids can’t enter into contracts they can’t agree to the terms, and if they can’t agree to the terms they can’t use the service (again, legally speaking).
One would think that this same situation would apply to virtually any Web site’s terms of service, no? And, one also would think that this issue has come up before.
While we await clarification from the lawyers, please make sure junior isn’t online.
