On Friday, May 6, a draft bill was released by two US Representatives, Joe Barton (R-TX) and Edward Markey (D-MA). It is aimed at putting new restrictions on companies that track the Internet activity of users under the age of 18 without their parent’s permission.
The new draft bill is called “The Do Not Track Kids Act of 2011” and would amend federal law that exists to protect children on the Internet, due to more minors using the Internet more frequently. It would stop companies from using the internet information of minors for targeted marketing, as well as allowing their parents to remove the information about their children that has already been collected.
According to Markey, in a press release: “[K]ids growing up in this online environment also need protection from the dangers that can lurk in cyberspace…I am releasing this…so that kids do not have their online behavior tracked or their personal information collected or used without permission…”
Focusing on protecting privacy online, especially in today’s digital world, is increasingly important every day, and is something that should be on the forefront of each and every person that uses the Internet, whether it is on smartphones, laptops, tablets, or regular desktop computers.
There is currently a flurry of new proposed online privacy laws, and I expect that many more will follow, to make sure that everyone has a right to protect their privacy, both online and off.
