Cisco, one has to look at everything in context. If a link to a pornography site is off topic, then its context falls in the "abusive, threatening, harmful, vulgar, obscene, tortious, improper or otherwise objectionable" category, which is prohibited in the Terms of Use. If it's a link to a company whose stock is the topic of the thread, then it's on-topic, unless SI has specifically prohibited such companies from being discussed here.
One could even argue that a link itself can never be obscene. If you want to argue a link is a solicitation and solicitations may be deemed obscene, then all the author need to is label it as such.
As for the 18 year old age limit, that seems to apply only to the person who has custody of the account. There's nothing there that says parents can't let their kids use the account nor should there be, IMO. If parents deems SI "unfit" for their children in any way, it's up to them to put a stop to it, not SI.
Lastly, 7-11s, libraries, cable TV, and internet search engines all are accessible to minors and all contain material that may be deemed "obscene". In all those cases the onus is on the parents to make sure their children don't indulge is areas off-limits to them. SI should be no different.
- Jeff |
