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Vikidia:Legal matters

From Vikidia, the encyclopedia for 8 to 13-year-old children that everybody can make better
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Vikidia is hosted in France and complies with the French legislation.

The global legal frame of the functioning of this wiki is similar to the one of Wikipedia and the projects of the Wikimedia Foundation.

However, it takes it into account:

  • that it is especially directed on children,
  • that a substantial part of the readers can live in English speaking countries such as the UK and the US.

Therefore, Vikidia will make the most to comply with some minor-directed legislations of the main English speaking countries when justified.

Vikidia especially complies with and implements certain articles of the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Editing under a free license as a contract[edit | edit source]

Under the French law, minors can not enter into a contract, unless for the "actes de la vie courante" ("acts of everyday life" or "acts of a routine nature").

We consider editing under a free license as a contract, nevertheless as an act of everyday life, on the same ground as buying low-value items. Therefore it is permitted for children to participate in this wiki without formal parental authorization.

Privacy policy[edit | edit source]

Our general privacy policy applies to all users.

See: Vikidia:Privacy policy

US Children's Online Privacy Protection Act[edit | edit source]

The US Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA, 1998) is designed to protect children's privacy and safety online.

According to wp:Children's Online Privacy Protection Act:

"The Act applies to websites and online services operated for commercial purposes that are either directed to children under 13 or have actual knowledge that children under 13 are providing information online. Most recognized non-profit organizations are exempt from most of the requirements of COPPA."

Children on Vikidia, especially under 13, are not asked for their real names. Their e-mail, if given at registering, is only used for the technical purpose. Users cannot send emails to one another through the wiki (the Special:EmailUser function is disabled). Consequently, every talk, discussion or comment is visible, unless some users choose to use external means (not part of Vikidia) to chat.

Real names, email addresses and identifying information, if given by young users on their user pages, are to be deleted.

UK Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006[edit | edit source]

The wp:Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 in the UK mandates a vetting process for those working with children. It defines "regulated activities" among which: "moderating a public electronic interactive communication service which is likely to be used wholly or mainly by children;" then "a person moderates a public electronic interactive communication service if, for the purpose of protecting children, he has any function relating to (a) monitoring the content of matter which forms any part of the service, (b) removing matter from, or preventing the addition of matter to, the service, or (c) controlling access to, or use of, the service." ([1]).

In compliance with this act, administrators on this wiki will not be accepted if more than 16 and living in the UK, unless they provide their identities and proof that they have passed the proper vetting process.

Convention on the Rights of the Child[edit | edit source]

The Convention on the Rights of the Child is a treaty which was ratified by most of the countries in the world, including the UK.

Vikidia especially implements and complies with the articles 12, 13, 15 and 17 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

  • The article 17 states: "States Parties recognize the important function performed by the mass media and shall ensure that the child has access to information and material from a diversity of national and international sources, especially those aimed at the promotion of his or her social, spiritual and moral well-being and physical and mental health.
To this end, States Parties shall:
(a) Encourage the mass media to disseminate information and material of social and cultural benefit to the child and in accordance with the spirit of article 29;(...)" Vikidia aims to offer a sample of such information and material.
  • The article 13 states the right to freedom of expression, which "shall include freedom to seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds, regardless of frontiers, either orally, in writing or in print, in the form of art, or through any other media of the child's choice." We believe that letting children participate in writing content in a wiki encyclopedia is a way to implement this article.
  • The article 12 institute the rights of the child to express their views, and the article 15 set up the rights of the child to freedom of association. We believe that letting children not only being enrolled in a managed writing activity but involved in the advancement and governance of the encyclopedia, in the Wikipedia way, is a way to implement those articles.

See: Vikidia:Relation to the Rights of the Child

If we missed anything...[edit | edit source]

...we would be glad to learn about it!

Would you have any proposal to improve this page and/or our policy on legal matters, feel free to share your views and remarks either on the talk page or by email (see Vikidia:Contact).