STEVE HARVEY ON HAVING BIG IDEAS
The Dell Community has contributed: 9393 ideas | promoted 642711 times | 71731 comments

How IdeaStorm Works:

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140

Review the TOU to see if there is a way to INCLUDE younger participants

140 points posted to IdeaStorm by phubert Apr 16

Are there legal issues?

Can the TOU be rewritten to eliminate/circumvent them?

Where does the conflict lie (between age and participation)?

Clearly, according to 'approved' (aka 'over 18') participants, there have been and are younger participants who, perhaps unknowing of the age restriction in the TOU, have registered and participated constructively.

How does this put the site or Dell at risk?

Again, is there a way to redesign the TOU to open the door to them?

After all, there've been FIVE YEAR OLD geniuses who could have participated equally or better to any of us now here!

Isn't it ours and Dell's loss to exclude them???

If you want fresh ideas, where better to go??

okroger104
Apr 16
You might want to submit the other idea about enforcing the age limit for deletion as this is what you were really trying to get at.
phubert
Apr 16
The other one remains valid if Dell retains -any- age limit... but, yes, I'd considered that.
jdelidc
Apr 16
email
phubert
Apr 16
??? visit varlinux??
jackie_c
Apr 16
As Dawn mentioned here, "The decision was made based on the process for use of ideas and the need to a submitter to be 18 and be able to make decisions about the rights to their idea." This was reviewed thoroughly by Dell. The age to participate on IdeaStorm is 18 and other Dell Community properties is 13.
okroger104
Apr 16
It's because of this unlikely event which would amount to entering into a contract with a minor: (which is a no-no.)

"Option to Purchase

Dell shall have the exclusive option to purchase from you and acquire all right, title and interest, including, without limitation, any copyrights and other intellectual property law in and to the Materials you submit, which rights shall include, without limitation, the irrevocable right to reproduce, prepare derivative works, combine with other works, alter, translate, distribute copies, display, perform, license and apply for copyright registration for any or all of the Materials, and all rights therein, in the name of Dell, or its designees throughout the universe in perpetuity in any and all media now or hereafter known. The option shall be exercisable by us from the date you submit the Materials until 1 year from that date. If we exercise the option, you agree to accept payment in the amount of $1000 USD or value in kind at Dell’s discretion, and you agree to execute, acknowledge and deliver such other instruments consistent with an assignment of the intellectual property as may be reasonably necessary to carry out or effectuate the purposes or intent of the assignment of the Materials. "
okroger104
Apr 17
No, Dell would pay you $1000. But in order to do that, they would have to enter into contract with you. If you are under 18, the contract would be invalid because you can't enter into a contract with a minor with the exception of entertainment and sports.
mkmaster78
Apr 21
Partially correct, a minor cannot enter a contract without parental/guardian permission. It would be easy to add an "If under 18 please have your parents approve by entering and confirming their email address" or something similar. Many sites had it when I was younger.
[Added comment at request of phubert]
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