In Germany, Parents Responsible For Children’s On-Line Actions

German parents can be held responsible for their children’s illegal acts on the internet.  It is the court’s opinion that parents have a duty to monitor what their children are doing.

The mother (since we’re talking parents and the story in the woman is a “she”) said that the children were forbidden from engaging in “ in copyright-infringing behaviour.” [sic]

Nevertheless, illegally donwloaded songs were found on their home computer, which is what prompted the lawsuit by record labels.

Pretty harsh.  Once upon a time, I was a child myself (duh, really?), and I can verify that I didn’t follow my parent’s wishes; furthermore, I made sure that I would hide my tracks when I did not follow my parent’s wishes.  I ask, aren’t most children this way?

I guess Germans are a special breed.  This type of law wouldn’t fly in other nations, apparently:

Both Scots law and English law state that a parent generally is not liable for the actions of their child, and that a civil judgment is as binding on a child as it is on an adult.

There are however, some circumstances in which a parent can become responsible for the child’s actions. That can happen when a child causes injury to others or where a parent has previously authorised or subsequently ratified the child’s unlawful act.

I imagine that this is the case for most nations worldwide.  I mean, can you imagine the ramifications if it weren’t?  Children are little terrors.

Advertisement