Privacy advocates are hailing a U.S. Senate committee's approval of legislation to protect youngsters' privacy on the Internet.
The U.S. Senate Commerce Committee approved a markup of the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act, sponsored by Sen. Richard Bryan, D-Nev., that would require Web sites to get parents' permission before collecting personal data from children under age 13. It also provides for the U.S. Federal Trade Commission to draft specific rules to protect children from unscrupulous online marketers.
The markup clears the way for the bill to be considered in the House and the Senate, although time is running short with just over a week remaining in this year's Congressional session.
Long overdue?
To the Center for Democracy and Technology, such a measure was long overdue.
CDT staff counsel Deirdre Mulligan said in a statement that the measure signals Congress' growing understanding of the importance of assuring Internet users' privacy and of protecting children's interests.
"By acting to protect privacy now, Congress can establish a level policy playing field; establish a viable benchmark for oversight, enforcement and redress; and grow confidence in the medium," Mulligan said.
The bill was drafted partly at the insistence of the FTC, which released a critical report on consumer online privacy earlier this year. The FTC report found that of 212 commercial Web sites aimed at kids, the majority collected personal data, but only about 1 percent sought parents' permission.
