Children's Privacy

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I have never been a fan of TikTok [view related post]. In general, I do not trust any Chinese technology companies because of the influence and requirements the Chinese government wields over them. The Chinese government has been stealing U.S.-based companies’ intellectual property for decades, has required U.S.-based companies to provide computer code in…

The Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) has been on the books for years and is enforced by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). COPPA basically prohibits companies from collecting personal information from children under the age of 13 without parental consent. The FTC has an impressive record of enforcement actions under COPPA and compliance with…

Nintendo has shut down some NNID logins and has told Switch owners to lock down their accounts following a series of fraudulent attacks. Nintendo has confirmed that it suffered an attack by hackers who accessed some accounts and are using PayPal accounts linked to the accounts to purchase items fraudulently.

According to Nintendo, approximately 160,000…

As someone who has been married a long time (longer than the Internet has existed), I never experienced the online dating scene.  Everyone has their own opinion on the topic, and without getting into the merits of online dating, there is risk for children, which is the subject of this privacy tip.

The Federal Trade…

Last week, two Senators, Senator Edward J. Markey of Massachusetts and Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut sent a letter to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regarding apps designed for children and whether they are in compliance with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), See 15 U.S.C. 6501 and regulations at 16 C.F.R. Part 312 et. seq.  The Senators stated that they are concerned that thousands of apps may “improperly track children and collect their personal information.” The Senators requested a response from the FTC by October 31. The letter also asked that the FTC “investigate whether these apps, and the advertising companies they work with, are in fact tracking children with persistent identifiers and collecting their personal information in violation of COPPA…”…
Continue Reading Protecting the Privacy of Children Online – More Updates on COPPA

Protecting the privacy of our children is inherent to parenting. Parents guard against posting pictures of their children on social media or restrict the amount of time and the types of access they have on electronic devices. They may also set parental controls regarding content and try their best to protect their children. But what…

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) approved TRUSTe’s proposed modifications to their Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) safe harbor program this week.

COPPA requires, among other things, that commercial website and mobile app operators that knowingly collect personal information from children under age 13 post comprehensive privacy policies on their websites and in their mobile apps, notify parents and guardians of the website’s or mobile app’s information practices, and obtain parental consent before collecting, using or disclosing any personal information from children under age 13. However, COPPA includes a ‘safe harbor’ provision whereby industry groups may seek approval from the FTC to create self-regulatory guidelines that implement “the same or great protections for children” as those in COPPA. Website and mobile app operators that participate in FTC-approved safe harbor programs are subject to the review and disciplinary procedures provided in the safe harbor guidelines in lieu of an FTC’s formal investigation or enforcement.
Continue Reading FTC Approves Modifications to TRUSTe’s COPPA Safe Harbor Program