|
Electronic-based signatures have been declared legal for many forms of contracts. Fax's and even telegraphed contracts have stood up in our (USA) court system.
Since the ESIGN Act of 2000 electronic signatures are as valid as the handwritten variety for legal purposes in the USA. There is software available that could be added to a website for such purposes (though I still prefer the old "pen and paper" contract myself).
Agreed. At least some nominal consideration is part of any contract. $.01 per room, or even a promise to "include your name for reference" or "get free items in game!" could be used as compensation (as consideration does not have to be monetary) could likely be used to resolve that issue.
You would have to check your county's treaties with the USA to see how US Copyright law affects you. As you often link to US legal material when discussing intellectual property law I am sure you are already aware of this.
Bad choice of wording on my part. I have stated I am not a lawyer. "Contractee", or "contracting entity" may have been better suited to the sentence rather then "employer". Work for hire by an independent contractor is still work for hire. Work for hire transfers the ownership of copyright to the person hiring.
A "written contract" can be an electronically signed document and the independent contractor would be adding to a compilation. Those and added consideration could be used to transfer legal copyright.
My previous "standard disclaimer" still applies. I am sure for $50-100 a lawyer would draw up the proper documents and better explain the process of electronic contracts dealing with copyright matters, NDA's and non-competes. Money well spent if someone is planning on forming a pay MUD.
|