5 posts and columns on COPPA

News Byte

FTC Spanks Apple App Maker for Childrens’ Privacy Violations

in Media on August 16, 2011 at 4:15 am PT

This one got lost in yesterday’s news deluge: A developer that made apps for Apple’s iOS devices has paid the U.S. government a $50,000 fine for breaking rules designed to protect children’s privacy on the Web. The Federal Trade Commission charged W3 Innovations, the parent company behind Broken Thumbs Apps, with violations of the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act on Friday, and announced a settlement Monday. PaidContent and Ars Technica have good coverage.

Google's Great TV Ad

in Media on May 4, 2011 at 3:03 am PT

No idea why it makes sense to advertise a Web broswer on TV, but they can certainly afford to try. Now: About setting up an email account for your kids…

From the Department of the Obvious: Poll Finds Parents Are Worried About Privacy on Social Networks

in News on October 8, 2010 at 12:10 am PT

A national poll released today by Common Sense Media asking how well social networks protect kids online produced an answer that should come as a shock to exactly no one: Not very well, at least according to parents. A full 75 percent of them gave social networking sites such as Facebook a negative rating for the task.

FTC to Sony: Hey, Record Label, Leave Those Kids Alone

in Media on December 10, 2008 at 9:49 pm PT

Sony’s music label will pay a $1 million fine as part of a settlement with the U.S. government in an online privacy case. Which makes it the second big label to get slapped for violating a 1998 law.