Document Type

Article

Publication Date

8-1-2024

Abstract

Children growing up in the digital age are experiencing an entirely different world than their parents once did. While most adults’ first online experience occurred on a bulky desktop computer, today’s children are born into a society that is largely digitized and where online accessibility is at the swipe of a pocket-sized smartphone. Despite the many benefits that this generation of children enjoys due to the increased access to the internet and innovative technology, parents, child advocates, and privacy experts caution against the dangers that arise when children enter the digital landscape.

Part I of this paper delves into children’s interaction with the internet and the surrounding online technology, while also highlighting the different risks they are exposed to today with their online presence. Part II of this paper explores the United States’ current regulatory framework, the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (“COPPA”), which was enacted in 1998 with the intention of safeguarding children’s personal information from being collected when using online services, websites, games, or apps. Part II continues by examining the FTC’s proposed amendments for the COPPA Rule in response to the evolving landscape of online platforms that now largely involves social media, video-sharing websites, and IoT devices. Lastly, Part III evaluates whether, even with full compliance, the COPPA Rule or its proposed revisions can effectively mitigate privacy risks and subsequent privacy harms children are exposed to in the digital age.

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