What is the legal age to run a site?

[Harry]

(06-27-2010 04:02 PM)ZiNgA BuRgA Wrote:  I don't think there's any issue with MyBB and underage dealings.
All in seriousness, do you expect parents to watch over their teen kids like a hawk?

As for legalities, I don't think people should care that much, though it seems that the MyBB community is far too serious on that side.  Seriously, it's a community project and people should just get along with each other, not think of ways to trip other people up.
And whether something is legally binding doesn't mean much.  If I go steal a paid plugin and use it on my forum, what can the other party do about it?  If a C&D doesn't work, what options do they have?  Apart from some form of defamation perhaps, it's seriously not worth actually pursuing legal action against me.  If they did, at best, they could only reclaim damages (the $5 or so they didn't get), and that's about it.

I think people should generally stop thinking about legalities.  Law on the internet is rather dodgy at best, and in many cases, never enforced.

It is not that dodgy here in the USA. Those under 18-21 ( depending on state ) cannot sign a legal binding contract period. Thus they cannot legally enforce copyright or anything else. However if the author is of age and has a signed contract then you better believe they can pursue the matter in court. Same thing for the buyer. The buyer cannot legally hold a minor responsible because any such contract with a minor is void because the minor cannot sign a legal binding contract. It does not matter what you are doing on or offline.
Again if the minor has a adult as the copyright holder/contractor then it is then on that adult and both parties/product are covered. No exceptions. Too many on here try and get around that by doing basically what you did. Not saying you meant any harm either. There is laws that cover this stuff on the net but most just don't understand or ignore them. Consumers are equally protected on and offline IF it is with a binding contract. Atleast in the USA they are.