The document instructs server operators to comply with applicable laws protecting children online when operating servers accessible to the public or unknown users.
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This provision establishes a compliance obligation for server operators to adhere to child protection laws, but does not specify a verification, age-gating, or parental consent mechanism. Under this clause, the compliance burden is placed on the server operator, not on Mojang.
Interpretive note: The specific legal obligations referenced by 'applicable laws' vary materially by jurisdiction, and the document does not specify compliance mechanisms, leaving operators to determine applicable requirements independently.
This provision establishes that server operators are responsible for compliance with child protection laws applicable in their jurisdiction when running publicly accessible servers. The document does not specify what verification or safeguarding mechanisms operators are required to implement.
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"If your server is open to the public or to people you do not know, please follow all applicable laws, including those that protect children online.— Excerpt from Minecraft's Minecraft Usage Guidelines
(1) REGULATORY LANDSCAPE: This provision engages COPPA in the United States for servers accessible to users under 13, the UK Children's Code for operators with UK users, and equivalent child protection frameworks in the EU including GDPR provisions governing children's data under Article 8. The relevant enforcement authorities include the FTC (COPPA), the UK ICO (Children's Code), and national data protection authorities in EU member states. (2) GOVERNANCE EXPOSURE: High for server operators who collect any personal data from users, including account identifiers, chat logs, or payment information, where those users may be under 13 or under 16 in GDPR jurisdictions. The provision's broad reference to 'applicable laws' without specifying requirements creates compliance ambiguity. (3) JURISDICTION FLAGS: US operators must evaluate COPPA applicability where users under 13 may access their servers. EU operators must evaluate GDPR Article 8 and national implementing law. UK operators must evaluate the ICO's Age Appropriate Design Code. Illinois operators collecting biometric data from minors must evaluate BIPA. (4) CONTRACT AND VENDOR IMPLICATIONS: Server hosting providers and software vendors supplying tools to Minecraft server operators should evaluate whether their services facilitate COPPA-compliant data handling given this document's compliance delegation to server operators. (5) COMPLIANCE CONSIDERATIONS: Server operators should implement age verification or parental consent mechanisms appropriate to their user base and jurisdiction, document their data handling practices for minors, and review applicable national child protection legislation.
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This provision establishes a compliance obligation for server operators to adhere to child protection laws, but does not specify a verification, age-gating, or parental consent mechanism. Under this clause, the compliance burden is placed on the server operator, not on Mojang.
This provision establishes that server operators are responsible for compliance with child protection laws applicable in their jurisdiction when running publicly accessible servers. The document does not specify what verification or safeguarding mechanisms operators are required to implement.
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