Lawmakers introduced 'Do Not Track Kids Act’ legislation to provide new privacy protections for children and teens in mobile environment

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressmen Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and Joe Barton (R-Texas), co-Chairs of the Congressional Bi-Partisan Privacy Caucus, released the following statement today after the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) issued the follow-up report “Mobile Apps for Kids: Disclosures Still Not Making the Grade”.  Reps. Markey and Barton commented that the FTC report highlights the need for passage of the “Do Not Track Kids Act” that updates the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) and protect children and teens in the 21st century online environment.
 
“If we were issuing a grade for mobile app privacy for children, it would be Incomplete. The FTC’s report clearly reveals that more must be done to arm parents with the most effective tools to protect their children when they are online. Children’s personal information should not be secretly siphoned off by mobile apps without parents’ knowledge or permission. When it comes to kids and their use of the Internet in the new mobile environment, it is especially important that the strongest privacy protections are in place so that children do not have personal information collected or disclosed. We introduced the ‘Do Not Track Kids Act' to ensure that children and teens are protected and that sensitive personal information isn’t collected or used without express permission. We look forward to the FTC’s update of COPPA regulations and encourage the Commission to continue its aggressive enforcement of COPPA violations.”
 
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