Congress has been urged by Federal Trade Commission Chair Andrew Ferguson to bolster its version of the Children's Online Privacy Protection Rule as the agency intensifies its clampdown on erring websites and service providers under its recently updated COPPA rule, according to The Record, a news site by cybersecurity firm Recorded Future.
Federal law should be revised to prevent websites and service providers from avoiding parental consent acquisition in the absence of knowledge that they have been catering to youths younger than 13, said Ferguson, who noted that such an age verification process does little to prevent access to children. "And because it provides little to no barrier of access, the law does not advance the principle of parental consent that Congress had in mind," Ferguson added. While awaiting legislative updates to COPPA, Ferguson touted that its recently revised rule would allow parents to reject data collection by Big Tech or Chinese service providers.
Federal law should be revised to prevent websites and service providers from avoiding parental consent acquisition in the absence of knowledge that they have been catering to youths younger than 13, said Ferguson, who noted that such an age verification process does little to prevent access to children. "And because it provides little to no barrier of access, the law does not advance the principle of parental consent that Congress had in mind," Ferguson added. While awaiting legislative updates to COPPA, Ferguson touted that its recently revised rule would allow parents to reject data collection by Big Tech or Chinese service providers.
