[Lasher]

While discussing the reviews, Matt made some good points about website liability for user generated content. That thread is here:

Reasons to promote/discuss your MUD on TMS.

I did a quick search on "User generated content liability" and found this article:

Cooley Godward Kronish LLP | News & Publications | Cooley Alerts | Website Provider Liability for User Content and Actions

Outside of reviews, it occurred to me that this can all equally apply to the user generated "content" on our MUDs - we "moderate" the MUDs by removing channel access and/or access to the game completely when we have repeat trouble makers in the games.

Has anyone ever had any legal issues along these lines? I've never heard of it within a MUD, but it's very possible based on that article.

[the_logos]

There was a case in Germany in June that was really frightening if you're Germany-based.

heise online - Court upholds ruling that forum operators have unlimited liability

Essentially, the German court ruled that forum operators are responsible for anything posted on their forums, whether they were aware of the comments or not.

Scary.

--matt

[Aeran]

Originally Posted by Lasher Has anyone ever had any legal issues along these lines? I've never heard of it within a MUD, but it's very possible based on that article.

The article seems to focus on user generated content that infringes on someones copyright/trademark. For example YouTube has a lot of "user generated content". Much of that content probably infringe on copyrights as it is music videos, parts of commercial movies etc that the user who uploaded it didn't have copyright of.

[Aeran]

Originally Posted by the_logos Essentially, the German court ruled that forum operators are responsible for anything posted on their forums, whether they were aware of the comments or not. Scary.

Would that mean that the forum moderators are responsible for private messages in the forum as well?

[the_logos]

Originally Posted by Aeran Would that mean that the forum moderators are responsible for private messages in the forum as well?

I have no idea. I didn't actually read the entire case and don't know if that was addressed or not.

--matt