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Consumer
Advisories
Protect
Kids' Privacy Online
Web sites
must obtain parents' permission before collecting personal
information from children under age 13.
Kids are
more and more adept at "surfing" the Internet these
days -- to study, play, send e-mail, and shop. But some web
sites collect personal information from kids, such as their
name, home address, e-mail address, or even hobbies. Then,
some web sites use that personal information - they send solicitations,
for example, or even sell the information to advertisers.
All this raises serious concerns about our children's privacy.
The good
news for parents and kids is that web site operators now must
follow rules that protect the privacy of children under 13.
The rules go a long way toward putting parents back in charge
of who collects personal information from their kids, how
the infor-mation is used, and whether information is shared
with third parties. The rules were issued by the Federal Trade
Commission under the "Children's Online Privacy Protection
Act."
| Here
are tips for parents, based on the new Children's Privacy
Protection Act rules: |
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Teach
your kids about online privacy. Tell them not to give out
their user ID or password, and not to give your family name,
address or phone number in chat rooms, on bulletin boards,
or to on-line pen-pals. Help kids read the privacy policy
at web sites, and explain that sites may try to capture
their personal information.
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Study
the privacy policy of any web site directed to your children.
Such sites must make the privacy policy available at their
home page and wherever they collect information from kids.
(Children's sections of "general audience" sites
also must post their privacy policy.) Study what information
is collected, how it will be used, and whether it will be
passed on to advertisers or other third parties.
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Decide
whether to give parental consent. In most cases, a site
now must obtain parental consent before it collects, uses,
or discloses personal information about a child under age
13. Note that parents may give consent but still say no
to having information passed on to third parties. Sites
must request consent again if they plan to use the information
in a new way. Parents also may revoke consent at any time.
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Ask
to see personal information collected from your kids. (You
will have to verify your identity.) Parents have a right
to delete information collected from kids.
The
FTC has even more detailed information - for parents, kids and
businesses - at the FTC
web site.You may also contact the Iowa Attorney General's
Consumer Protection Division, Hoover Building, Des Moines, Iowa
50319. Call 515-281-5926.
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