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The US Week Ahead: FTC to consider changes to federal children's privacy law

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission will host a public workshop on Oct. 7 to explore whether it should update the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act, a federal law that aims to protect the privacy of children under 13 on commercial websites and mobile applications.

The FTC noted the evolving internet and app marketplace in explaining its interest in exploring potential changes to the law, including "the increased use of Internet of Things devices, social media, educational technology, and general audience platforms hosting third-party child-directed content." The Children's Online Privacy Protection Act, or COPPA, went into effect in 2000 and was last updated in 2013. The FTC has an open proceeding seeking public comment on potential updates to the law.

Alphabet Inc.'s Google LLC and its subsidiary YouTube LLC recently settled for $170 million to resolve allegations from the FTC and New York attorney general that the companies violated COPPA. The regulators said in a complaint that the companies collected personal information from viewers of "child-directed channels" without first notifying parents and gaining consent, a violation of the law.

In addition to the fine, as part of the settlement, the companies agreed to make changes to YouTube's platform. Specifically, Google and YouTube must "develop, implement, and maintain a system that permits channel owners to identify their child-directed content on the YouTube platform so that YouTube can ensure it is complying with COPPA."

Additionally, privacy attorneys recently told S&P Global Market Intelligence that some large tech companies could face liability for possible violations of COPPA following admissions that they have either collected or reviewed user audio. Google, Microsoft Corp., Amazon.com Inc., Apple Inc. and Facebook Inc. all disclosed that humans have reviewed certain user audio clips to improve products and services.

While it is not clear what ages the users were who have had their audio collected or reviewed, one report from Vice's Motherboard includes an allegation from a former contractor who worked for Microsoft who said most of the voices they heard while listening to audio were of children.

The FTC's Oct. 7 event will feature commentary from agency commissioners, academics and industry officials, including Malik Ducard, vice president of content partnerships at YouTube.

The comment period for public comments on possible changes to the rule ends on Oct. 23.

Government

Oct. 7 The FTC will host a workshop to explore the possibility of updating the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act.
Oct. 8 The U.S. House Committee on Small Business will host a hearing titled "Silicon Prairie: Tech, Innovation, and a High-Skilled Workforce in the Heartland" in Kansas City, Kan.
Industry, legal and think tank events
Oct. 7

The Media Institute, a communications policy nonprofit, will host its annual "Free Speech America" gala in Washington, D.C.

Oct. 8

The Capitol Forum, a news and legal analysis company, will host an event titled "C-Band Conference - Policy and Legal Merits: Is a Court Fight Inevitable?" in Washington, D.C.

Oct. 8

New America's Open Technology Institute will host an event on the push for comprehensive privacy legislation in Washington, D.C.

Oct. 8

The Orrin G. Hatch Foundation will host a symposium titled "America's Cyber Resilience in the Digital Age" in Orem, Utah.

Oct. 8-9

APCO International, an organization of public safety communications professionals, will host an event titled "Emerging Technology Forum" in Denver.

Oct. 10

The Brookings Institution will host an event titled "How China's tech sector is challenging the world" in Washington, D.C.

Oct. 10-11 Palo Alto Networks Inc., a California-based cybersecurity company, will host a conference titled "Federal Ignite '19" in Washington, D.C.

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