Regulatory Solutions — Children and Teens’ Online Privacy Protection Act (CTOPPA) of 2021
Introduced in May 2021, this legislation updates the 1998 Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA)
The Children and Teens’ Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) of 2021 was introduced by Senators Edward J. Markey (D-MA) and Bill Cassidy (R-LA) in May 2021. This legislation will update the 1998 Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) and has been endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatrics, American Heart Association, Common Sense Media, Center for Digital Democracy, Campaign for a Commercial Free Childhood, Consumer Federation of America, Consumer Action, Children Now, Color of Change, Berkeley Media Studies Group, Focus on the Family, and the Public Health Institute.
The United States is behind other countries in regulating internet privacy protections for its citizens. In September 2020, the United Kingdom introduced “Age appropriate design codes” to ensure that internet services were safer for children, teens and young adults through age 23 years. With each year, more young people are using internet services. Similar protections are needed in the United States.
The Children and Teens’ Online Privacy Protection Act of 2021 would:
- Build on COPPA’s consent requirements by prohibiting internet companies from collecting personal information from users who are 13 to 15 years old without the user’s consent;
- Ban targeted advertising (as opposed to contextual advertising) directed at children;
- Establish a “Digital Marketing Bill of Rights for Teens” that limits the collection of personal information of teens;
- Revise COPPA’s “actual knowledge” standard to a “constructive knowledge” standard requiring that websites with reasonable knowledge that children/teens access their websites must get consent in order to collect children’s/teen’s data;
- Create an “Eraser Button” for parents and kids by requiring companies to permit users to eliminate personal information from a child or teen when technologically feasible;
- Establish a Youth Marketing and Privacy Division at the Federal Trade Commission (FTC);
- Require online companies to explain the types of personal information collected, how that information is used and disclosed, and the policies for collection of personal information;
- Require that internet connected devices targeted toward children meet robust cyber security standards;
- Require manufacturers of connected devices targeted to children and minors to prominently display on their packaging a privacy dashboard detailing how information is collected, transmitted, retained, used, and protected; and
- Require Commission reports on the effectiveness of the COPPA safe harbor program.
If you are a U.S. citizen and are supportive of these proposed regulatory reforms, now is the time to contact your senators and ask them to endorse this important legislation.
Social Media Harms was developed to provide a listing of peer-reviewed studies, books and articles from authoritative sources that document the negative effects of social media use. It is meant to be a tool to be used by people who are concerned about social media’s negative effects on people’s emotions, actions and lives. We do not solicit donations, however, we are asking for additions to our lists of peer reviewed studies and authoritative books and articles.
Social media platforms, through a combination of technology and regulatory changes, can be improved to reduce, or perhaps to totally negate, the harms caused now. What is critical is that the public has an awareness of these problems. Citizens can use their time and attention to contact their elected officials and social media platforms to ensure that these harms are mitigated.
