The internet poses a world of opportunity for learning when it comes to kids. Unfortunately it also offers a world of danger as well. Those looking to take advantage of children in a myriad of ways actively patrol online looking for targets. Tighter rules and regulations have come into play to help stem this; however, a new issue has arisen. The ability of third-party advertisers and websites to actively collect information from children on internet ready mobile devices is now becoming quite the issue.
While the reasons for collecting this information may not be quite as nefarious as those of cyber stalkers it is still quite problematic. In 1998 COPPA (Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act) was passed requiring websites to provide protections on collecting info on children under age thirteen. The trouble with this is that mobile devices, and the subsequent market aimed directly at the age group under thirteen, was virtually non-existent.
With all the new technology on the market the FTC is making it a priority to update this legislation and extend its powers to cover mobile devices and apps as well. Whether it is apps like Roxio’s Angry Birds or the ever present Tweet and Like buttons for Twitter and Facebook respectively, each would have to get parental consent before legally collecting any information about those under 13 including their location.
While the importance of such a law is quite clear it does raise a very important issue. How many websites are going to be affected if this proposed legislation pushes through? With the overwhelming number of advertisers and plugins out there pushing ad placement and more how will they be able to pull off such requirements without a hitch? If someone has to go through a consent process each time they click Like how many times will it take before they avoid the button altogether? It is easily imaginable that this could have some rather severe repercussions across the web and throughout the mobile community as well.
With comments being accepted on the newest version of the legislation until September 10th, we will simply have to wait and see whether the FTC stands firm or if they decided on some last minute changes that may ease the burden on those plugins and advertisers not directly targeting minors under 13.