# Comments on Registration Agreement **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [June 1, 2007, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comments-on-registration-agreement/406404 "2007-06-01T22:19:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![alterego](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6bbea6/32.png) [@alterego](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alterego)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2007, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comments-on-registration-agreement/406404/1 "2007-06-01T22:19:29Z")
> [@Registration Agreement](#): > > You agree not to post any copyrighted material unless the copyright is owned by you or by the operator of the SDMB, except as permitted by the “fair use” provisions of the U.S. copyright laws (in general this means brief excerpts only). You agree to abide by the wishes of the board moderators in interpreting and enforcing these rules. Refusal to cooperate with board moderators or to abide by these rules is grounds for revocation of your posting privileges. This forbids us from posting copyrighted material even if we have obtained the permission of the person who owns the copyright. That sounds extreme and unnecessary. > [@Registration Agreement](#): > > Do not post the same or similar messages or threads to multiple forums; multiple threads on the same topic; or an excessive number of threads on any topic within a limited period of time. Do not start threads expressly for the purpose of meeting other posters for romantic or sexual purposes. We will notify the Internet service provider of any party posting objectionable messages. What exactly is my ISP going to do if I open a thread on the SDMB looking for romance? Kiss me? The “P” in ISP does not stand for Police. > [@Registration Agreement](#): > > By posting on this board you grant the Reader and its successors and assigns a nonexclusive irrevocable right to reuse your posting in any manner it or they see fit without notice or compensation to you. I hadn’t noticed this before. The Reader has the epitome of a scary TOS. Why would they even want to reserve such a right? Can’t it be argued that this makes the Reader legally liable for the content of my postings? After all, not only are they publishing my postings, they own a nonexclusive irrevocable right to them. ---
**Author:** ![Zakalwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zakalwe/32/270_2.png) [@Zakalwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zakalwe)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2007, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comments-on-registration-agreement/406404/2 "2007-06-01T23:09:42Z")
1800 posts and you’re just now reading the Agreement. Nice. Addressing your 1st and 3rd points, they both relate to the same thing. The Reader wants the right to (potentially) publish the stuff you post here. They aren’t saying they own the copyright, they aren’t saying you can’t post your own stuff elsewhere, they’re just saying that they want the right to publish it. Since you can’t give that right away for other people’s stuff, they don’t want you using it outside of ‘fair use’ (which would also cover any republishing they do). Simple. FWIW, I do agree that the “we’ll tell your ISP” clause sounds a bit naive in this day and age, but was probably written when the Internet was younger and ISPs were more involved in monitoring good behavior. ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2007, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comments-on-registration-agreement/406404/3 "2007-06-01T23:10:45Z")
That last one is at the bottom _of every page in the forums_. You’ve never seen it before? ---
**Author:** ![alterego](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6bbea6/32.png) [@alterego](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alterego)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2007, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comments-on-registration-agreement/406404/4 "2007-06-01T23:14:20Z")
You’re obviously a poor reader. When I said that “I hadn’t noticed this before” I clearly implied that I had read the registration agreement in the past. [QUOTE=garygnu] That last one is at the bottom _of every page in the forums_. You’ve never seen it before? [/QUOTE] There is a difference between reading something and noticing the absurdity of it. Specifically, I wonder about the motivations of the Reader that caused them to desire such a right over my work. It sounds evil to me, but may not have in the past. Get that, or would you like me to explain it in a third way? ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2007, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comments-on-registration-agreement/406404/5 "2007-06-01T23:14:48Z")
[QUOTE=alterego] This forbids us from posting copyrighted material even if we have obtained the permission of the person who owns the copyright. That sounds extreme and unnecessary. [/QUOTE] The problem here lies in determining if the poster really has got permission to reprint from the copyright holder, or is just lying out their ass. ---
**Author:** ![Zakalwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zakalwe/32/270_2.png) [@Zakalwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zakalwe)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2007, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comments-on-registration-agreement/406404/6 "2007-06-01T23:15:47Z")
[QUOTE=alterego] You’re obviously a poor reader. When I said that “I hadn’t noticed this before” I clearly implied that I had read the registration agreement in the past. [/QUOTE] You “read” the agreement, but missed that part (which, as garygnu noted is at the bottom of every page) and **I’m** the poor reader? Okay. ---
**Author:** ![alterego](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6bbea6/32.png) [@alterego](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alterego)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2007, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comments-on-registration-agreement/406404/7 "2007-06-01T23:21:16Z")
[QUOTE=Zakalwe] You “read” the agreement, but missed that part (which, as garygnu noted is at the bottom of every page) and **I’m** the poor reader? Okay. [/QUOTE] Once again, you fool, I didn’t “miss” anything except the wide reaching implications and wondering why the fuck the Reader wants such rights. ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2007, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comments-on-registration-agreement/406404/8 "2007-06-01T23:22:06Z")
If you are given the right to post a copy from the copyright holder, are not you now also a copyright holder, though a one with restricted rights? ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2007, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comments-on-registration-agreement/406404/9 "2007-06-01T23:25:25Z")
[QUOTE=kanicbird] If you are given the right to post a copy from the copyright holder, are not you now also a copyright holder, though a one with restricted rights? [/QUOTE] No, not at all. You’re merely being allowed to use the copyrighted material. You have no rights of your own to that material. ---
**Author:** ![Revenant\_Threshold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f1d935/32.png) [@Revenant\_Threshold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revenant_Threshold)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2007, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comments-on-registration-agreement/406404/10 "2007-06-01T23:48:38Z")
I think it’s like borrowing a car. If you get permission, you can drive it. But you can’t sell the thing. ---
**Author:** ![Canadjun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/76d3ee/32.png) [@Canadjun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Canadjun)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2007, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comments-on-registration-agreement/406404/11 "2007-06-01T23:56:37Z")
Looking at another part of the registration agreement: > [@](#): > > Minimum age for registration on the SDMB is 13 years. Registrants found to be younger than 13 will have their posting privileges revoked and forfeit any subscription fees. SDMB content is intended for mature audiences; parents or guardians paying subscription fees for children aged 13 through 17 are responsible for determining whether the SDMB is a suitable environment for their child. Nitpicky I know, but it seems to me it should say that “A parent or guardian must register on behalf of users aged 13 through 17 and is responsible for…”. If little Billy asks me for $14.95 (or whatever the going rate is) in order to register and I give it to him and **he** registers himself, I think you’d have difficulty holding me to those terms since I did not see them (of course, the “I” refers to a hypthothetical parent, not I as in **Canadjun** ); **he** is the one doing the registering and being presented with the agreement. Obligatory IANAL, and even more so IANAUSL ---
**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2007, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comments-on-registration-agreement/406404/12 "2007-06-01T23:58:12Z")
[QUOTE=alterego] I hadn’t noticed this before. The Reader has the epitome of a scary TOS. Why would they even want to reserve such a right? Can’t it be argued that this makes the Reader legally liable for the content of my postings? After all, not only are they publishing my postings, they own a nonexclusive irrevocable right to them. [/QUOTE] I won’t speak for the Reader, but nearly identical language is often found on many other message boards I’ve been to (as well as my own) to allow the Board to display your posts, and to prevent you, if you’re banned or simply have a wild hair, from “demanding” that the Board owner remove any, some, or all of your posts. I _sincerely_ doubt that the Reader ever intends or even thinks there is a 0.0000001% chance that anything on here would be published by them. As to them being “legally liable”…I think you’re misunderstanding things. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2007, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comments-on-registration-agreement/406404/13 "2007-06-02T00:04:52Z")
[QUOTE=Miller] The problem here lies in determining if the poster really has got permission to reprint from the copyright holder, or is just lying out their ass. [/QUOTE] Bingo! (B-3, I-17, N-44, G-50, O-62, if you want to check.) Without that rule, if I posted somebody else’s copyrighted material and claimed, “They said I could,” the message board staff would be faced with the choice of either spending the time and effort to check up on my claim, or letting it go and opening themselves up to possible legal trouble if it turned out I did not, in factm have permission. ---
**Author:** ![Kat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b19c9b/32.png) [@Kat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kat)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2007, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comments-on-registration-agreement/406404/14 "2007-06-02T00:07:21Z")
[QUOTE=Una Persson] I _sincerely_ doubt that the Reader ever intends or even thinks there is a 0.0000001% chance that anything on here would be published by them. [/QUOTE] Well, except for the fact that they have already done so. In the last couple of SD books, there’s been little snippets of Doper postings at the ends of the chapters. ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2007, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comments-on-registration-agreement/406404/15 "2007-06-02T00:19:28Z")
[QUOTE=Zakalwe] 1800 posts and you’re just now reading the Agreement. Nice. . [/QUOTE] Why? If he made it to 1800 posts without reading the Agreement,all the way through, then it’s probably a safe bet that his own normal online behavior makes it unnecessary–i.e. he’s not a jerk. As far as I can tell most of the Agreement is just common sense and consideration. ---
**Author:** ![Revenant\_Threshold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f1d935/32.png) [@Revenant\_Threshold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revenant_Threshold)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2007, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comments-on-registration-agreement/406404/16 "2007-06-02T00:23:57Z")
[QUOTE=Spectre of Pithecanthropus] Why? If he made it to 1800 posts without reading the Agreement,all the way through, then it’s probably a safe bet that his own normal online behavior makes it unnecessary–i.e. he’s not a jerk. As far as I can tell most of the Agreement is just common sense and consideration. [/QUOTE] But how would you know it is without reading it? ---
**Author:** ![Spezza](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a698b9/32.png) [@Spezza](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spezza)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2007, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comments-on-registration-agreement/406404/17 "2007-06-02T00:45:27Z")
I find the fact that they keep our credit card numbers on record the most distrubing. NO good reason for them to do that. They don’t have automatic renewal systems, so they should delete our credit card information the moment our dues are paid. The rest, at least I found, to be rather standard. ---
**Author:** ![Garfield226](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Garfield226](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Garfield226)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2007, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comments-on-registration-agreement/406404/18 "2007-06-02T01:00:13Z")
[QUOTE=alterego] The Reader has the epitome of a scary TOS. Why would they even want to reserve such a right? Can’t it be argued that this makes the Reader legally liable for the content of my postings? After all, not only are they publishing my postings, they own a nonexclusive irrevocable right to them. [/QUOTE] There was a rather amusing pitting a year or two back about this issue. Someone got all worked up over this issue…ah, yes. “[Fuck Chicago Reader for having the right to steal any idea we post here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=348649&highlight=reader+copyright).” So consider your company, there. ---
**Author:** ![fluiddruid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@fluiddruid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fluiddruid)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2007, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comments-on-registration-agreement/406404/19 "2007-06-02T01:01:02Z")
You guys are lucky. The first draft required an annual blood sacrifice to Cecil, and your firstborn son. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2007, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comments-on-registration-agreement/406404/20 "2007-06-02T01:03:44Z")
[QUOTE=fluiddruid] You guys are lucky. The first draft required an annual blood sacrifice to Cecil, and your firstborn son. [/QUOTE] There’s a _second_ draft?! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comments-on-registration-agreement/406404.md?page=2)