First Kickstarter Fined

[Sliverknight]

I think all fail promise kickstarter should get fined if they don't promise or force give the money back

[M1nGs3N4yuk1]

Go fund yourself.

[Kashis]

The video isn't entirely accurate about how this went about. The State of Washington wasn't even what set this in motion, it was the artist who did the illustrations that did. He also got together to release the cards to the backers through a different company called Noir Arts and is working on other projects.

Source

I think it's good that the scammer, Ed Nash, is being fined for this because in this particular situation it WAS a scam on his part. However, I am wary about how this could negatively impact other projects. There are a number of really solid Kickstarter projects I've backed that I'd like to see completed (Bloodstained and Mighty No. 9 are a few that come to mind) and don't want to see people trying to sue just for money. The creators of those projects worked for major companies that pretty much forced them to leave and do things outside of the company. There are also a solid number of indie devs just trying to get funding for their stuff which can be a pain otherwise.

Scams can run both ways and there are a number of people that are using Kickstarter to actually help put together their ideas for a real product that wouldn't be possible any other way. Now, I think we should keep an eye on anything new that comes along, especially if they are being run by a few people. We shouldn't immediately assume and equate a Kickstarter with a scam though, which is becoming the case due to a number of incidents like this.

Kickstarter is not a bad idea, and often, you pay a lot less than you would had a major company took hold of the project, provided the company follows through.

Edit:

This also isn't the first Kickstarter project handler to be sued either, a monopoly style game was the cause of the first.

Source

[Sliverknight]

well to me i think there be protect system in place for kick starter in case you lie not really do what you doing you should be paying a fine and post the name in red highlight for warning on project they make. one way scare off the scammer if you truly going do project and know you going get it done. then you should do kick starter. if you going to lie and not really do what you going to do then you should be paying fine. it keep system in check. and balance. so you have less crap kick starter show up

[not skald]

or you could just be careful about who you give money to over the internet

[hian]

or you could just be careful about who you give money to over the internet

I agree in principle, especially in cases where there is no legally binding agreement to finish or deliver what is being advertized.

In the real world, this is a bit of a problem though. Imagine if you made that argument in any other sphere of life.
Buy a car - it doesn't come with a complete engine - Just be careful who you buy cars from.

That's not how the world works. If you make a promise to deliver a product, you should be held legally liable if and when
you don't deliver - after all, not delivering amounts to fraud, and allowing that to go uncorrected puts consumers at risk
of severe abuse.

That being said, I don't think Kickstarter has worked like that up until now. It's not a binding contract of
"If you pay this, I will definitely deliver this in turn", but a "Pay this, and I might be able to deliver this in turn".
I think, for the most part, that such a set-up is damaging to consumers and unfair, so the site really
should seek to amend that.

[not skald]

buying a car at a car dealership and paying for something that doesn't exist yet over the internet are pretty different things imo