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Childhood Identity Theft: What Parents Need to Know About COPPA Rights

Parents, are you taking advantage of your COPPA rights?

After all, your child’s sensitive personal information is extremely valuable. But you have to know your rights before you can start to protect your child’s online identity and security. But nowadays, where to begin?

Lately it seems that children are born and have their entire lives documented online — first it’s by parents uploading newborn photos (along with child’s name and birth date!) to Instagram and Facebook (all of the photos shared with dodgy security settings at best).

Next it’s uploading innocent home videos to YouTube that expose not just a glimpse into the family home, but also potentially reveal personal details like home address, where and when you take vacations, when you celebrate birthdays, and with whom, along with the names, faces, and approximate ages of every family member (why not have the camera zoom in on recent bank statements to make a cybercrook’s job that much easier?).

Read more to learn ways to protect your family — and which popular websites are taking advantage of your child’s personal information.

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FTC Settles With Kids’ Social Networking Site, Online Advertiser Network

The Federal Trade Commission has reached two privacy settlements with the following online companies:

  • Skid-e-kids, a social networking site for children. The FTC accused the site of collecting personal information from 5,600 kids without parental permission. This is a violation of the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act that forbids Internet companies from allowing children under 13 to register and provide personal information (date of birth, email address, home address, first and last name, etc.).

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FTC Urges Updates to Children’s Online Privacy Laws

Calling children “tech-savvy but judgment poor,” the FTC suggests that parental consent should no longer be obtained through a two-step email and authorization process, but rather, through scanned versions of signed consent forms and videoconferencing. The New York Times explains why the FTC thinks revisions to child privacy laws are needed, citing “an explosion in children’s use of mobile devices, the proliferation of online social networking, and interactive gaming.” Read More

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In Plain English: Everloop’s Privacy Policy Speaks Directly to Parents to Keep Kids Safe Online

Everloop, the “Facebook for kids” social networking site, has two privacy policies. The company speaks directly to parents when it warns that “the Internet offers a world of opportunity for children. Your guidance and involvement are essential to help ensure that children have a safe and rewarding online experience. We encourage you to stay involved in and informed about what your child is doing online.” Read on to learn how the site protects your kids, but also the various ways it collects and shares your kids’ personal information. Read More

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