Hacker News Reader

I have this app installed on my phone. When you sign up you purposefully have to get consent from an adult to sign up as a minor.

View on HN

I'm not sure that works in law. A 13-year-old could click "consent" and not make a contract with FB.

I agree. That can also be called "common law" in Germany. Contracts with people who are not entitled to sign contracts on their behalf are not considered legally binding.

In that sense, it shall be treated as if there hasn't been a contract at all. The process is purposefully designed to get a signed contract as fast as possible. The technology to make proper ID (Age) verification is available, but my understanding is, that it is not used by facebook and its partners.

COPPA doesn't require foolproof age verification IIRC, otherwise the regular Facebook app and nearly every app on the planet that just asks for a birth data with no verification would be illegal.

That is 100% true. It's a regulatory issue that politics could address. Having no proper age verification is not illegal.

I mixed two points here. Contracts that contradict the law and my wish for better regulations.

Which I suppose is fine if this app was only installed in the US. Was it?

Reply on news.ycombinator.com