Young internet users are often a vulnerable target for hackers and the likes when they use internet without parental oversight. To mitigate the dangers posed to them, Federal Trade Commission has now amended the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act so that parents get to have greater control over the online information of their kids.
The Act, as the name suggests, had been envisioned with the intent of making the internet a secure place for the younger users. A number of organizations have long been demanding amendments to the Act in light of the recent developments in the online realm.
FTC has finally acted upon these demands by making a whole host of new amendments to the Act. The new amendments seek to give the parents a greater control over the information of their kids so that when third-party entities wish to access this information, they would have to gain permission from the parents.
According to the Chairman of the Commission, Jon Leibowitz, “The Commission takes seriously its mandate to protect children’s online privacy in this ever-changing technological landscape. 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.”
Moreover, the Commission says that the new changes will also persuade the websites to review their policies towards data collection and retention. In some cases, parents would have to submit scanned and signed consent forms to give permission for having their kids’ online information being used.
Without a doubt, the measure is a very welcome move as it is a step towards making internet a safer place for users of all ages and puts certain curbs on such policies which tolerate invasion of user privacy.
Courtesy: Eweek
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