State AG Pulse | Content moderation vs. free expression
AD Nauseam – Children, They are Indeed Our Future – COPPA Developments
The FTC and DOJ Act Against Amazon to Protect Privacy
AD Nauseam: A Very Special AD Nauseam – Back to School
AD Nauseam: The FTC’s Updated Endorsement Guides: Get into the Groove
Unique Privacy Concerns for Mobile Apps
FTC Hits Path with $800k Fine, Continues to Make Mobile Privacy a Priority
This week, New York Attorney General Letitia James announced a settlement with app developer Saturn Technologies (Saturn) following an investigation into privacy practices that promised teens an exclusive community but...more
On June 7, 2023, the New York legislature passed the Stop Addictive Feeds Exploitation (SAFE) for Kids Act (SAFE Act or the Act) and the New York Child Data Protection Act (CDPA), both aimed at protecting children online. The...more
On December 20, 2023, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced proposed changes to the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Rule (COPPA Rule) that would place significant new restrictions on companies that collect...more
The Children’s Advertising Review Unit recently found that Tilting Point Media violated COPPA and CARU’s Self-Regulatory Guidelines for Advertising and for Children’s Online Privacy. Tilting Point is the operator of the...more
Firefly Games agreed to take corrective action in response to the Children’s Advertising Review Unit’s allegations that the company had violated COPPA by inaccurately (and confusingly) explaining its privacy practices. The...more
The Children’s Advertising Review Unit recently settled with TickTalk Tech, LLC over its information collection practices. CARU, a self-regulatory body that reaches voluntary settlements with companies, conducts regular...more
As discussed in our sister blog, CARU’s revised Ad Guidelines go into effect on January 1, 2022. While the core principles of the guidelines have not changed, they now include new content to account for today’s advertising...more
On July 1, 2021, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced that it settled allegations against Toronto-based Kuuhuub Inc., along with Kuuhuub's Finnish subsidiaries Kuu Hubb Oy and Recolor Oy (together, defendants), that...more
Especially with their children now homebound, bored and seeking virtual social contact, many parents are particularly concerned about educating their children – preschool through high school — of the risks inherent in social...more
On September 4, 2019, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC or the “Commission”) announced a settlement with YouTube and its parent Google that resolves allegations that the companies violated the Children’s Online Privacy...more
Two mobile apps directed at children were recently subject to action by the Children’s Advertising Review Unit. The first, “My Talking Tom,” is a virtual pet game for children operated by Outfit7 Limited. One issue was the...more
The first months of 2019 have seen several key developments in the world of children’s privacy. There have been major enforcement actions, new legislative proposals, and new best practices and guidance issued, both in the...more
The FTC recently announced a $5.7 million settlement with app developer Musical.ly for COPPA violations associated with its app (now known as TikTok)—the agency’s largest-ever COPPA fine since the enactment of the statute....more
Many of the most popular mobile apps collect personally identifiable information. Although most app developers are not required to display a privacy policy under federal law, they are contractually required to do so pursuant...more
Last week, two Senators, Senator Edward J. Markey of Massachusetts and Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut sent a letter to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regarding apps designed for children and whether they are in...more
The United States has relatively few restrictions on collecting information from children off-line. Efforts to collect information from children over the internet, however, are regulated by the Children’s Online Privacy...more
The Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) released an updated version of its guidance on complying with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (“COPPA”) on June 21, 2017. Companies that collect personal information from...more
Privacy advocates in both the United States and Europe are urging regulators to take a hard look at the privacy ramifications of internet-connected toys, which are often conventional toys augmented by companion mobile...more
So, you’re ready to launch your new online business or mobile app. The website looks great, and the app tile has an elegant, simple design that’s sure to stand out on phone and tablet screens. Missing anything? Oh, yeah, that...more
Recent actions against two prominent mobile app developers serve as a warning for companies that authorize third parties to collect and use information over time for advertising in mobile apps (known as interest-based...more
The activities of children on the internet, whether via computers, smart phones, or tablets, have grown exponentially in recent history. As internet access for children increased, parents began losing control of the amount...more
Of all the “Days of Privacy” looking forward to 2014, we believe that the issues surrounding mobile applications and privacy will see some of the most intense regulatory focus …. read on, and be prepared…....more
A new Federal Trade Commission report urges mobile app platforms and developers to better inform consumers about their privacy practices. Mobile app platforms and developers should review their privacy policies to ensure...more