Age Related Question

[esthergrl]

Forum URL: mrsconroysclass.proboards27.com

I am a teacher in a middle school setting. I work with 6,7,and 8th grade classes. My husband, who is also a teacher, used proboards last year in a 6th grade setting for a bulletin board. It has since changed and the age limit has changed. I noticed that it says with adult permission. My board is a private board limited to the use of my students. I have not opened it for use yet but I am wondering if this age limit applies and is there a way to get around it. I am the adult supervising these students for educational purposes. Is that enough to have them use the board?

Thanks in advance.
Caroline Conroy

[Sasafrass452]

Any forum hosts & members must be 13 or over. I think they can get parental permission, but that probably takes a while. You being there to supervise isn't enough.

[esthergrl]

I'd like to know why. I like the format of these bulletin boards and I intend to do this project, whether I do it here or I use a service such as nicenet. I don't like nicenet's format but they do not have the same stipulation and the forum would be run exactly the same way.

[frufru]

esthergrl said:

I'd like to know why. I like the format of these bulletin boards and I intend to do this project, whether I do it here or I use a service such as nicenet. I don't like nicenet's format but they do not have the same stipulation and the forum would be run exactly the same way.

it's california law, and the boards are hosted in california so Patrick must follow their laws.

www.cdt.org/legislation/105th/privacy/coppa.html

[esthergrl]

Thank you, that makes sense. However, it does note that with parent permission, they may use them. If I decide to do this, I can easily get parent permission, where would it need to go? This would be in the form on a notice explaining the process, and then having the parents sign the agreement.

[Tommy Huynh]

esthergrl said:

Thank you, that makes sense. However, it does note that with parent permission, they may use them. If I decide to do this, I can easily get parent permission, where would it need to go? This would be in the form on a notice explaining the process, and then having the parents sign the agreement.

The ToS states that users age 13-18 can become a member of a Proboard if they have parental permission.

ProBoards.com (the "Provider") is providing a service to individuals (the "User") who are at least 18 years old or minors 13 years old and above who have parental permission.

www.proboards.com/tos.html

So the minimum age (no matter what) is 13.

[trent]

I guess you could sign up for multiple accounts using your age

[esthergrl]

I'm sure I could, but I do not want to break any laws, especially in an educational setting.

[Big Brother]

trent said:

I guess you could sign up for multiple accounts using your age

No, This is NOT a good idea. It would still be allowing under-13s to access the board. It may be a account with a different age on but it is still ALLOWing under-13s on.

[esthergrl]

I'm sorry that this board can't be used in an educational setting. Considering our nations strive for the use of technology in the classroom, perhaps this is something that should be considered by California. I'll find another board to facilitate my project on.

Thanks again..

[esthergrl]

Are there other services that use similar message boards? If so, what are they? I really hate nicenet's format and want more of this type of bulletin board format.

[Patrick [ASE]]

sorry, we can't post links to other message boards, you will have to search for them.

going back to COPPA, it's about the storage of personal information of minors under 13 (emails etc), most, if not all, message boards would be the same, they would have to follow that law.

sorry we couldn't help, and good luck.

[esthergrl]

It's very frustrating considering i intend to create each of my students accounts without listing their personal information. The age thing is fairly new as I noted in the beginning, because my husband was successful in using this board with 6th graders late last spring.

[Patrick [ASE]]

the law has always been there in last version (v3), but the age check feature has been added for this one (v4).
boards found with under 13's would still have been subject to deletion in v3, just that your Husbands board was never reported.

[esthergrl]

So with that said, i'll be sure to let all the educators I know, including many through the National Council for Teachers of English, that they shouldn't use the service here.