Jay from Cleveland posted an interesting comment on his blog relating to the lawsuit against a Wisconsin grandfather whose grandson downloaded movies off the Internet. 

There are many legal issues related to parental (or in this case, grandparental) responsibility for the acts of minor children under their control.  The law has chosen to hold adults responsible for the behavior of minor children under certain circumstances, often when the adults' negligence or lack of legally appropriate supervision resulted in the minor committing a serious crime.  This alone surprises many adults, who either did not realize they could be held responsible for the illegal acts of their children or disagree with this form of legal responsibility.  Whether or not this legal liability should extend to grandparents has added another area for debate.

This story interests me for a completely different reason.  According to the AP's story, "Lawrence (the grandfather) said his grandson was 12 and unaware it was illegal" to download full-length movies off the Internet.

The story does not indicate whether or not the child in question was homeschooled or attended a public or private school.  The story does not mention the child's parents or whether the grandfather was the primary legal guardian.  

Here is my issue:  12 years old is the equivalent of sixth or seventh grade, depending on birthdate and educational system.  By 12, a child should have at least some understanding of property rights and should recognize that one cannot take from the Internet "for free" that which one would otherwise need to buy and pay for.

Children need to be taught basic intellectual property rights as part of elementary education.  "Thou shalt not steal," did not apply only in the time of Moses and does not apply only to forms of property available in Moses' day.   We as parents have the obligation to teach our children both the law ("stealing is wrong") and the subjects to which it applies.

By implication, the grandson in the story referenced above would not have downloaded the movies "had he known it was wrong" (we can debate this point, but for the moment let's give him the benefit of the doubt). 

The problem, then, does lie with the grandfather after all - or with whatever adult failed to tell this child that movies (and other creative works) belong to someone, and that taking them without payment or permission is just as wrong as stealing the DVD from the Blockbuster on the corner.