This is so bizarre to me. They were ages 7 and 10 and their parents were involved in a lawsuit because an oil company polluted their residence. With
the settlement, the whole family had to agree to never talking about this oil company endeavor... including their minor children.
Sounds like a case where outsiders ought to find out everything this family knows and more ..without even talking to them to put them at risk with
their agreement....and insure every last detail is public on every medium available.
I really hate secrecy when there is no life/death or absolute essential need for it. This is just about money and image. Free Speech ...until given an
offer you just cannot refuse.
That happens often with lawsuits like that. I don't think that that practice should be legal. If they say something, they have to pay back the
lawsuit money most times because they violated the contract. Deceit should not be allowed to be covered up using the law, that is in direct violation
of what laws are supposed to be about.
As the children are below legal age of consent they cannot be bound to the terms of the settlement contract. However the parents will not be
able to consent to the children speaking to any media outlets to get around the agreement. If the kids tell someone (a teacher, neighbor, etc.) and
they give the story to someone from the media it would have to be treated as hearsay, but the family would not be held legally liable for it unless
they officially confirm the story.