This is something that’s always really bugged and confused me about the site’s rules:
Now not that it really applies to me, being well over 18, but HUH? Is this some kind of administrator’s joke? Do we really have to ask younger posters for their parent’s permission just to log on to the site? Has this really happened before, have people actually mailed in these slips? Who has time to do this screening process? Also, doesn’t this just seem a little pointless and unnecessary, especially since for the Register section we have a Yes, I am over 13! right next to the Yes, I am below 13!, so couldn’t people just lie about their age? The site doesn’t exactly make it that difficult to do so.
I suppose that is just a bit of legalese to cover ourselves in case an overconcerned parent sues us or something. Personally, I think parents should take responsibility in supervising minors in their Internet activity and not leave the onus to the ‘Internet’, but hey, you never know what some ignorant kid or unconcerned parent might do.
Besides, R-rated video game and movie websites also have a similar age-disclaimer ‘Tell us your birthday’ form that people can lie as well, so there’s little site developers can do beyond that.
But thanks, I really do share your concern. I suppose the Admins will have to find a better solution then.
Hey thanks! And nah, was never really concerned more than curious. But, still isn’t this just being a tad paranoid? I mean, we’ve got mods that are working to ensure that flame wars, nasty or indecent imagery and especially foul language or threatnening messages is kept off this site anyway. Also, I know it could happen in theory, I guess, but I still find it rather hard to believe a parent might try and sue an entire website just because their kid didn’t like it or something.
But then again I was 17 so I must of skipped over it. I never read the fine print actually 
I was 14, so I was fine, but I remember reading that and being slightly confuzzled