Today, Children and Screens: Institute of Digital Media and Child Development submitted expert comments in response to the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC), proposed changes to the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Rule (COPPA Rule). Specifically, the changes would place “new restrictions on the use and sharing of children’s personal information and further limit the ability of companies to monetize children’s data.”
“The Federal Trade Commission’s proposed changes to the rule are a major step towards modernizing the enforcement of COPPA and keeping up with the rapidly changing online environment,” said Kris Perry, Executive Director of Children and Screens. “At the time of this submission, COPPA is the only piece of federal legislation protecting kids online, and its proper enforcement is vital to the health and safety of our nation’s children. These recommendations from Children and Screens reflect the latest research and advice from clinicians.”
In these comments, Children and Screens urges the FTC to:
- Restrict practices that maximize user engagement and maintain attention
- Require clearer, more comprehensive notifications to children and parents about how data is used and shared
- Expand the obligations platforms and third parties have when they decide to share children’s data with each other
- Further restrict the types of data that platforms can collect from children, and when platforms are allowed to collect data from children
- Hold platforms accountable when they profile children, even if a child has lied about their age
- Adopt stricter data retention and security requirements for websites and online platforms that collect children’s data
The comments are framed in Children and Screens’ unique, holistic perspective on the effects of technology and digital media on families and children, built from a large interdisciplinary network of experts including scientists, clinicians, and advocates, who bring varying perspectives on issues of digital media and children.
