Legislation

FTC Chair Plans Work on Children's Online Privacy

JUN 9 2022·Updated SEP 20 2022

Story

Image credit: CQ Roll Call [via NBC News]

The Facts

Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Chairwoman Lina Khan announced that the agency will push forward new actions and policies to protect children's online privacy.
NBC
Khan's plans include toughened enforcement of kids' privacy laws already in place, with a specific focus on social media companies' algorithms that target children.
PBS NewsHour
This follows revelations brought by a former Facebook data scientist showing the negative impacts that its Instagram platform has on teens.
Independent
The FTC recently warned education-technology companies that it will crack down on the illegal surveillance of kids who are online to learn, and in March it fined WW International - formerly known as Weight Watchers - $1.5M and required it to delete data on children under 13 it had illegally collected.
Independent
The children's online privacy law currently prohibits companies from requiring more information than needed from children and restricts them from using kids' personal data for marketing pruposes.
Independent

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The Spin

Democratic narrative

Parents and teachers can't be the only defense against online snooping on children. The Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) was written in 1998 and needs to be updated for today's digital world. If the FTC wants to carry the baton on this matter, it should get it done.

wapo

Republican narrative

We knew Khan was going to go on an activist rampage as soon as the FTC had a Democratic majority. Her scrutiny of Big Tech goes hand in hand with her plans to attack the major oil companies and make it difficult for corporations to merge – things the government should keep its nose out of.

Restoring America