Beyond Bright Shiny Objects: Situating Children’s Privacy within a Comprehensive Privacy Framework
Washington is experiencing a “Privacy Spring”: the online privacy debate has been rejuvenated and for the first time in over a decade, privacy is back on the policy table. Both the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Department of Commerce have issued reports setting out robust frameworks for privacy protections, bills are being introduced in Congress, and the Obama Administration has announced support for baseline privacy legislation. Not surprisingly, teenagers have become a focal point of the current debate over online privacy, tracking, and advertising. In this piece, I argue that concerns about teen privacy will best be addressed through a strong comprehensive privacy law that requires adherence to Fair Information Practices by all commercial entities, including advertisers, that collect and use personal data.
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