FTC Agenda for Workshop on COPPA Rule 

The FTC has released the agenda for a workshop it is holding on October 7, 2019.  The workshop will examine the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) Rule in light of evolving business practices and new technology in the online marketplace.  

The FTC is holding the workshop as part of its review of, and request for public comments regarding, the continued effectiveness of the COPPA Rule, including the 2013 amendments the agency made to the rule.  The workshop will explore issues including the increased use of Internet of Things devices, social media, educational technology, and general audience platforms hosting third-party child-directed content.  The public comment period for the COPPA Rule review closes on October 23, 2019. 

The COPPA Rule requires certain websites and other online services that collect personal information from children under the age of 13 to provide notice to parents and obtain verifiable parental consent before collecting, using, or disclosing personal information from these children. 

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The Regulatory Mix Today: FTC Agenda for Workshop on COPPA Rule, FCC Commissioners Release Statements on Net Neutrality Decision 

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FCC Commissioners Release Statements on Net Neutrality Decision 

Commissioner Brendan Carr stated:  

“Today’s decision is a big win for a free and open Internet and for U.S. leadership in 5G.  The Internet has flourished under the light touch approach to regulation that the FCC restored in 2017.  Since then, Internet speeds are up, prices are down, and the U.S. leapfrogged our global competitors to secure the largest 5G build in the world.  By affirming the FCC’s authority to take this modern approach to Internet regulation, today’s court decision will enable us to build on this success for the benefit of all Americans.” 

Commissioner Geoffrey Starks stated in part:  

“At its best, the internet is a democratizing, empowering force.  A truly free and open internet enables everyday people, regardless of their means or status, to elevate their ideas, access boundless information, and drive our economy to innovate without undue external influence.  This must be protected to the last inch. 

Above all else, today’s decision breathes new life into the fight for an open internet.  It confirms that states can continue to step into the void left by this FCC.  To that end, it is a validation of those states that have already sought to protect consumers, and a challenge to those that haven’t yet acted to think hard about how to protect their citizens.  More pointedly, the decision affirms that the FCC ignored key aspects of its mission with regard to public safety and broadband deployment.  And the decision admonishes this Commission for its failure to consider the impact of its action in this context on Lifeline, a critical program that 

makes broadband more affordable for low-income consumers.” 

Commissioner Michael O’Rielly stated:  

“While I am still in the process of digesting the decision, the main tenets of the Commission’s action are thankfully affirmed.  It is heartening to see a court get most of the decision correct.  The classification issue was clearly within our authority and grounded in sound policy as it avoids the hubristic posture of a central-planning, micro-managing government, which harms innovation and reduces the benefits accruing to American consumers that are made possible by a light-touch approach.  At the same time, vacating the preemption provisions seems to misread precedent and ignores the technology’s structure, which cannot be segmented into intrastate portions.  Inevitably, this will lead to Commission case-by-case preemption efforts and more litigation.” 

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The Regulatory Mix, Inteserra’s blog of telecom related regulatory activities, is a snapshot of PUC, FCC, legislative, and occasionally court issues that our regulatory monitoring team uncovers each day. Depending on their significance, some items may be the subject of an Inteserra Briefing.