Antitrust Law Daily Wrap Up, PRIVACY NEWS: FTC seeks comments on proposed parental consent method, (Dec 16, 2013)

By Jody Coultas, J.D.

The FTC is seeking public comment on a proposed verifiable parental consent method that IVeriFly, Inc., has submitted for Commission approval under the agency’s Children’s Online Privacy Protection Rule.

Online sites and services directed at children must obtain permission from a child’s parents before collecting personal information. The rule outlines acceptable methods for gaining parental consent. Interested parties may submit new verifiable parental consent methods to the Commission for approval.

The FTC will seek comments on whether IVeriFly’s proposed verifiable parental consent method is already covered by the existing methods included in the rule and whether it meets the rule’s requirement that it be reasonably calculated to ensure that the person providing the consent is actually the child’s parent. The public comment request will be published in a Federal Register notice shortly.

The Commission also seeks comment on whether the program poses a risk to consumers’ information and whether that risk is outweighed by the benefits of the program. The comment period will last until January 21, 2014, and the Commission has 120 days to review the proposed verifiable parental consent methods.

News: Privacy FederalTradeCommissionNews