“Today, I am proud reach across the aisle and join with Rep. Markey to officially introduce the Do Not Track Kids Act of 2011,” said Rep. Barton. “I believe that every American has the right to choose what they believe to be best for themselves and their children. But often times in our digital world that right is lost because your personal information is collected and stored without you ever knowing.
“This bill is a first step in putting consumers back in control. It lets you know what types of information are being collected about your kids online and how it is being used. If you don’t like what you learn – you will now have the authority to change it with just the click of a mouse.
“It is unacceptable for a website operator to act as a dictator with no consequences, and this bill ensures this type of behavior will not be directed toward our children,” said Rep. Barton. “I look forward to the next steps in the legislative process, and I look forward to future proposals to ensure protections of all Americans.”
The “Do Not Track Kids Act of 2011” strengthens privacy protections for children and teens by:
“We commend Representatives Markey and Barton for listening to the concerns of families and taking action by introducing a “Do Not Track Kids” privacy bill that places kids and teens front and center,” said Jim Steyer, CEO of Common Sense Media. “As it stands now, the nation’s tech privacy policies are outdated, as they do not include protections for mobile and geolocation technologies. Kids and teens are being tracked even more than adults, and marketed to without permission while companies make huge profits off the data – and that is wrong. It is promising to see leaders of both parties come together to address these issues on behalf of children and families, and we hope the bill continues to gain bipartisan support.”
“Today’s teenagers are growing up in a ubiquitous digital media environment, where mobile devices, social networks, virtual reality, interactive games, and online video have become ingrained in their personal and social experience,” said Dr. Kathryn C. Montgomery, Ph.D., Professor, School of Communication American University. “Members of this generation are, in many ways, living their lives online. But while youth have embraced new media, they cannot be expected to understand the subtle, often covert techniques that digital marketers use to track and influence their behaviors. Many teens go online to seek help for their personal problems, to explore their own identities, to find support groups for handling emotional crises in their lives, and sometimes to talk about things they do not feel comfortable or safe discussing with their own parents. Yet, this increased reliance on the Internet subjects them to wholesale data collection and profiling. By instituting fair information practices for teens now, we can help ensure they are treated with respect in the rapidly growing digital marketplace.”
“Today’s youth—and their parents—confront a pervasive and unaccountable digital data collection system,” said Jeff Chester, Executive Director, Center for Digital Democracy. “When young people are online, including on mobile phones, playing games, or using social media, they are subject to a wide-range of stealth practices that can threaten their privacy and health. Congressmen Ed Markey and Joe Barton’s Do-Not-Track Kids bill will create much-needed safeguards for both children and adolescents. It will usher in a new Internet era for America’s youth, where their privacy is protected and marketers cannot take unfair advantage of them.”
“In today’ s world many children spend as much time on the Internet as they do on the playground,” said Jim Pierce, President, Childhelp. “The Markey-Barton Do Not Track Kids Bill is an important first step in protecting our children from predatory tracking – giving them the freedom to be children not consumers.”
The legislation is endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatrics, American Psychoanalytic Association, American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, and iKeepSafe.
A copy of legislation can be found HERE.
More information on how families can get engaged in this debate and tell policymakers what kind of protections they want to prevent the industry from violating the privacy of kids and teens can be found at www.DoNotTrackKids.org .
