FTC Tightens COPPA Child Privacy Act

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has adopted final amendments to the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), to give parents greater control over the personal information that web sites and online services collect from children aged under 13.

Earlier this week, the FTC released the results of a study, which concluded that children's apps siphon an 'alarming' amount of data from mobile devices without disclosing this to parents, and that little progress had been made in the past year to provide parents with the information they need to determine what data is being collected from their children.

COPPA was established in 2008 to detail what a web site operator must include in a privacy policy, when and how to seek consent from a parent or guardian, and what responsibilities an operator has to protect children's privacy and safety online.

In 2010, the FTC initiated a review to ensure that COPPA keeps up with evolving technology and changes in the way children use and access the Internet, including the increased use of mobile devices and social networks.

The latest COPPA update reflects this and includes amendments such as modification of a list of 'personal information' that cannot be collected without parental notice and consent - including geolocation information, photographs and videos. It also closes a loophole that previously allowed kid-directed apps and web sites to permit third parties to collect personal information from children, through plug-ins, without parental notice and consent.

FTC Chairman Jon Leibowitz (pictured) comments: 'I am confident that the amendments to the COPPA Rule strike the right balance between protecting innovation that will provide rich and engaging content for children, and ensuring that parents are informed and involved in their children's online activities.'

Full details of the COPPA update can be found on the FTC web site: www.ftc.gov .