Children today are so much smarter than when I was a child.  We never had computers when I was young and if we did, we probably wouldn’t know what to do with them.   Today, children are exposed to the great information highway; you will find computers in every classroom, in most every home.  Whether using them for school research or just personal pleasure, children are curious and amazed at what they can see for just a click of a mouse. There are games to be played, images to view, chat rooms to visit, web pages for homework and although they start out innocently on the right web page, they have to deal with other informational banners and ads, some which have no relevance to the reason they are there in the first place.  But being a child and curious at that, they click on the banner or ad and before you know it, they are on a site that they shouldn’t be on signing up for this and that, giving all their information away to the first person who wants to read it or steal it.  There is also ad-filtering software available such as Addelete, Adwiper and spamfighter.  To find them, do a web search.

What is the first step to protecting my child’s privacy online?

• First, if your child is going to use the Internet, many Internet providers have programs that will keep your child off any pages the program seems are too mature for your child.  America On Line is one Internet provider. It will block those pages and not allow viewing.  There is also software such as CyberPatrol, CyberSitter, CyberSnoop, and NetNanny although be aware that children can “outsmart” the filters in the software.  A Child is defined as a person under the age of 13.

 

You can view the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998 here.

• Next, set a time limit and make sure there is parental supervision so someone is there in the room with the child and can see what is going on.  Putting the computer in the family room where the family gathers most often is better than the child’s bedroom.   Any sites that require registration for kids such as gaming, contests and asking about the child should set off a red flag.  These websites can track your child’s internet activity and sell your child’s information to third parties, which in turn sell them to other businesses and so on. 
• Never post any pictures or information about your child’s age and date of birth on the Internet.  There is no one that needs to know it except you.   
• Before your child signs up for any website, ask them to tell you first.  You can read the privacy policy and this will give you an idea of what they are going to do with any information you gave them. Let them know that it is important that they never give out any family information such as phone numbers and addresses.   Tell them that chat rooms are off limits because they have no way of telling if that person is really who they say they are.  Someone who says they are a 12 year old can actually be a 45-year-old predator.

COPPA covers web sites that are developed expressly for children. But it also covers any online service, which has knowledge that it collects information from children. This includes sites that allow children to use interactive communication tools. So, even if the site is not collecting information about children, if a child’s personal information can be made public on the site (such as through IM — Instant Messaging — or a message board), and the site has knowledge of this, it may be held liable under COPPA.

COPPA requires that web sites and online services directed to children under age 13 must:

• Post a clearly written privacy policy with links to the notice provided on the home page and at each area where the site or online service collects personal information from children.
• Describe the kinds of information collected from children, for example, name, address, e-mail address, hobbies, and age. (Note: This requirement applies to all information, not just “personal information.”)
• Explain how the information is collected – whether directly from the child and/or behind the scenes through "cookies."
• Explain how the web site operator uses the personal information, such as marketing to the child or notifying contest participants, and whether it is disclosed to third parties.
• Provide parents with contact information – address, phone number, and e-mail address – for all operators collecting or maintaining children’s personal information.
• Obtain parental consent before collecting, using, or disclosing personal information about a child.
• Provide parents with the ability to review, correct, and delete information about their children collected by such services.
• Maintain reasonable procedures "to protect the confidentiality, security, and integrity of personal information collected from children."

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Further, web sites cannot require a child to provide personal information as a condition of participating in online games, contests, or other activities when it is not necessary to do so.

The Federal Trade Commission oversees the implementation of this law. When COPPA was passed, the law required that the FTC in five years determine the costs and benefits of the law and whether it should be retained without change, modified, or eliminated. The FTC determined in 2006 that COPPA continued to be valuable to children, parents, and web sites, and is still in effect today.

Tags: internet, children, security software