Congressional Leaders Reintroduce Bipartisan Bill To Protect Children's Online Privacy
Senator Edward Markey (D-MA) and Congressman Joe Barton (TX-06), along with Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Congressman Bobby L. Rush (IL-01), have reintroduced the Do Not Track Kids Act, a bill that would strengthen the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) by extending its protections to children under 15 and creating an "Eraser Button" that would allow parents and children to delete publicly available personal information. The bill would also prohibit targeted advertising to children, mandate data security standards for internet-connected devices sold to children, and establish a "Digital Marketing Bill of Rights for Minors" that would limit the collection of children's personal information, including geolocation information. EPIC recently warned the Federal Trade Commission not to weaken existing rules under COPPA that safeguard children's privacy. EPIC and a coalition of consumer groups have also urged the FTC to stop companies from selling dangerous, internet-connected "toys that spy".