The Children’s Advertising Review Unit (CARU) released new guidelines for interacting with children in the metaverse: Building Guardrails for Child-Directed Advertising & Privacy in the Metaverse. The guardrails are intended to be “realistic and actionable” ways for companies to comply with privacy laws and engage responsibly with children online.Continue Reading CARU Releases Metaverse Guidelines
Texas has now become the 11th state, following Florida, to have a “comprehensive” privacy law. HB 4 was signed by the governor on June 18, 2023. This caps off a busy spring for state lawmakers not only in Texas, but Florida, Iowa, Indiana, Tennessee, and Montana. The law goes into effect on July 1, 2024 (the ability for agents to submit rights requests is not effective until January 1, 2025 however). For a round-up of state laws’ effective dates, visit here.Continue Reading The Lone Star State Joins the Privacy Law Deluge: Another Governor Signs
The Utah legislature recently passed SB 152 and HB 311. While these two bills will primarily impact those who are “social media” entities under the law, they may have broader impact when the majority of their requirements take effect, on March 1, 2024.Continue Reading The Beehive State Joins the Buzz Around Minors and Social Media
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 SpongeBob: Krusty Cook-Off app. The case arose as part of CARU’s routine monitoring of child directed content.Continue Reading CARU Strikes Again: Another Mixed-audience App Settles Over COPPA Allegations
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 app in question, LOL Surprise! Room Makeover, featured dolls and characters intended for children and animated characters. It also included content directed to adult users. CARU concluded as part of its routine reviews that, inter alia, the app was “mixed audience.” As such, the app needed to comply with not only CARU’s guidelines, but the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act as well.Continue Reading Children’s App Settles with CARU Over COPPA and Guideline Violation Allegations
The FTC recently took two well-publicized steps in the children’s privacy space. First, it penalized WW International (formerly, Weight Watchers) and its subsidiary, Kurbo, for alleged COPPA violations. Second, it unanimously voted to adopt a new policy statement on education technology and COPPA. These actions follow its March COPPA settlement with TickTalk Tech.Continue Reading FTC Continues Focus on Children’s Privacy
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 audits of privacy practices by companies in the child space. During one such audit, it identified concerns over TickTalk Tech’s kids smart watch, TickTalk4.
Continue Reading Smart Watch Maker Settles with CARU Over Privacy Policy and Parental Consent
As we look to 2022, a question on many companies’ minds is what actions we will see from the FTC. Two recent developments are important on that front.
Continue Reading FTC 2022 Regulatory Priorities to Include Privacy and Security