Is 2257 Mandatory For Non US Residents?
 

Hi, I guess the title says it all :)
If I make a freesite/gallery but live in europe, do I have to put a 2257 notice?
Thanks
zanex

Where are your servers?

Aren't hosting companies exempt from 2257 requirements as they aren't the publishers?

My stuff is hosted in the USA.

Why? If my pages are hosted in the USA, that's what matters?
Disclaimer: I personally have nothing against 2257; I'm just asking cos simply I would like to know! If, to get listed, I must put one on the page, then so be it...
thanks
zanex

If you're doing business in the US (which you are by having your servers here) then I'd assume you have to follow US laws.

Ok. I'm cool with that. I just wanted the opinion of a more experienced webmaster (such as yourself) that had more insight on the Us Laws than I do.
I'll put the 2257 always. I see no harm in doing so.
Thank you
zanex

Don't take my word for anything as far as legality & whatnot - I am not a lawyer & this is all just opinion :)

I understand it was just your opinion. I didn't take it as qualified legal advice :)
I'm only saying that, to be on the safe side, I'll use the 2257 notice.
Like I said above, this was just more out of curiosity than anything else, so...no harm done.
take care
zanex

Obscenity laws are quite interesting I gather (CP comes into a different category and has far stricter rules). I'm in England and obscenity only applies to UK publishing. Publishing on the net is sending stuff from a pc to a server wherever the server is located. This means that if I send data from one server directly to another and both servers are located outside the UK, then the law does not apply to me. I gather that the US lawmakers decided that it was too onerous for hosting cos to be responsible for 2257 on their machines, so the responsibility lies with the owner of the site if he is based in the US, this applies wherever he is hosted. Don't forget that you need 2257 for some images in sponsor's banners as well.

This info comes from research done by me and should not be considered as legal advice however.

thanks for that info headboy.
Well, I'm in Portugal and I'll try to check EU/Local laws on this and, specifically, publishing of adult material on the internet.
zanex

Well it all seems a bit confusing as there seem to be some challenges to the law in the states, and I haven't kept up with the latest rulings.

What a lot of non-us w/ms seem to be doing is to have a page with links to the sponsors 2257 pages. This isn't really complying with the law, but it shows willing. Make sure you don't have any sponsor links on your 2257 page as some TGPs are declining submissions for this. Maybe some of the LL owners can comment on 2257 pages content.

Sorry I forgot, some people count the 2257 page as a link out, so it may be better to make it non-clickable.

yeah, that's what I'm doing now.
Thanks for your info :)
take care

good decision - handling the 2257 issue like that will also help you not getting into trouble with law abroad ;)