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 environment. Several modifications are important to keep in mind for those who collect information from children.
Continue Reading The Impact of the CARU Advertising Guidelines Change On Privacy
Google recently announced that beginning next year it will require Android mobile apps to provide privacy disclosures. These disclosures will live in a new “safety section” in Google Play. The requirements include disclosing:
As of this week, Apple’s requirements for apps to follow its AppTrackingTransparency are now in effect. These requirements went hand-in-hand with the iOS 14.5 launch, and impacts how an app can track users and access their advertising device IDs. In particular, consumer consent is now required if the app collects consumer information and shares it with others “for purposes of tracking across apps and web sites.” Apple has provided developers with specific implementation steps, which will be reviewed when apps are submitted to Apple for approval. As part of the submission, companies need to explain why they want to track users, as required under Apple’s guidelines.
Continue Reading Apple’s App Tracking Transparency Now In Effect
As it closed out 2020, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) sent out requests to nine social media and video streaming companies asking them to provide more information about how they treat consumer information. The FTC indicated that it wanted to learn more about the companies’ activities in order to inform the FTC’s approach to privacy and data security. The FTC, in particular, is focused on how the privacy practices of these entities affect children and teenagers. The FTC exercised its authority under a provision of the law that allows it to gather information generally from a particular company or industry (without bringing a specific action against the company or industry). One FTC commissioner did dissent, arguing that the request the FTC made of these companies was too broad.
Continue Reading FTC Focuses on Privacy Practices of Social Media and Video Streaming Companies
Apple has launched, in connection with other privacy changes in iOS 14, a requirement for privacy “nutrition labels.” The labels are required for new and existing apps, and are in addition to the existing requirement of linking to the company’s long-form privacy policy. Apple will automatically generate the label based on the company’s answers to its online questionnaire. Apple is requiring companies to explain what information they -and third-party partners collect. Answers will be turned into visuals for the label (a circle “i” for example, for contact information). Companies can also include optional disclosures, like confirming that data is not being used for tracking or third-party advertising purposes (if that is accurate).
Continue Reading Apple Privacy Nutrition Labels Effective Starting Next Month
The California Attorney General recently released a third set of proposed modifications to the CCPA regulations. As we previously covered, the CCPA regulations were approved and went into effect on August 14, 2020. Many companies will likely be frustrated by the fact that new changes have been proposed again, just two months after the final version was approved. Companies have until October 28, 2020 to submit comments to the AG on the modifications.
Continue Reading Will CCPA Regulation Change Again?: Comment Deadline Looming
As we wrote previously, kids are spending more of their days online and are using online platforms for virtual learning and entertainment. Much of this environment is funded through online advertising. All companies thus need to think about the impact that children’s privacy laws, like COPPA, have on the online environment, as they will see the outcomes of this applicability in their contracts.
Continue Reading Back to School Special: But I’m Just an Ad Network! Am I Subject to Children’s Privacy Laws?
In our online world, one of the challenges (and opportunities) for companies is the increased use of their websites, apps, and connected devices. For platforms directed to both adults and children, or platforms previously directed to adults which would like to now also direct their services to children, the FTC’s recently streamlined FAQs, and ICPEN’s guide (both of which we introduced earlier this week) can help companies in this space. The information is particularly helpful for those that were aimed mostly toward adults, and are now shifting their business plans to direct products or services to children as well.
Continue Reading Back to School Special: Is My Multi-Age Platform Subject to Child Protection Requirements?
In this remote era, companies are increasingly being approached by their business teams with ideas about products and services that involve video or audio recordings of their consumers. It may also involve letting people manipulate photos of themselves. Sometimes, those recordings and pictures are of children. Content that contain images or audio of individuals are considered personal information under many laws, including the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). What does this mean for companies? As we discussed in our previous blog post, COPPA requires obtaining parental consent if the personal information collected is being collected by the company online, and being collected from the child. The FTC’s recently streamlined FAQs help companies find and understand obligations if collecting photos or recordings from children. Namely, a reminder that this content is personal, and does require verifiable parental consent before being collected.
Continue Reading Back to School Special: Recordings, Photos, Kids, and Parental Consent
In the current pandemic era, kids are spending more time online, be it for school or entertainment. Companies are therefore gearing up for increased interaction with children online or through connected devices. As children around the globe return to school, whatever that return looks like, the FTC and the International Consumer Protection Enforcement Network (ICPEN) remind us that certain rules apply when dealing with kids online.
Continue Reading Back to School Special: COPPA Consent in the COVID Era
Apple recently revised its review guidelines to allow push notifications that include “advertising, promotions, or direct marketing.” This changes a prior -and longstanding- prohibition on push notices that contain such content. Customers must affirmatively opt in to get promotional push notices, though (“through consent language displayed in your app’s UI”). They must also be able to opt out through an in-app mechanism. Although promotional push notices were previously prohibited, many apps sent them. These modifications may be a step by Apple to acknowledge this use and put requirements in place around it.
Continue Reading Apple Eases Push Notification and Other Privacy Restrictions