PROTECT Kids Act
Latest action (9 Jan 2020): Introduced
What this bill does
H.R. 5573, the PROTECT Kids Act, would amend the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998 (COPPA). It would raise the age of children covered by the law's protections from under 13 to under 16, and explicitly extend COPPA's requirements to mobile applications, not just websites and online services. It would also expand the definition of "personal information" subject to protection to include precise geolocation information and biometric information, such as fingerprints, facial characteristics, and iris or retina patterns. Additionally, it would strengthen rules preventing operators from cutting off service to children whose parents refuse to allow further data collection, and would require operators to delete a child's personal information upon a verified parental request.
The bill primarily affects children and teenagers who use websites, online services, and mobile apps, as well as the companies that operate them, which would face expanded compliance obligations regarding data collection from users up to age 16. Parents would gain clearer rights to request deletion of their children's data. The bill also directs the Federal Trade Commission to study, within two years of enactment, whether COPPA's current "knowledge standard" for determining when an operator is covered by the law remains appropriate, and to report findings and recommendations to relevant congressional committees.
The bill was introduced on January 9, 2020, by Rep. Tim Walberg and referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. It did not receive a vote and did not advance further before the end of the 116th Congress, meaning it did not become law.
Plain-English summary generated by Bill100 AI from the official record. Always verify against the source below.
Official summary
Preventing Real Online Threats Endangering Children Today or the PROTECT Kids Act
This bill addresses the online collection of personal information from children.
Specifically, the bill raises the age for parental consent protections for children online from under 13 to under 16, adds geolocation and biometric information to protected personal information, and extends all protections for children online to mobile applications.
The bill also requires the operator of a website, online service, or mobile application to delete a child's personal information upon the verified request of a parent, and it prohibits such operator from terminating service to a child whose parent has refused to permit further collection or use of that child's personal information.
Additionally, the Federal Trade Commission must study and report on the appropriateness of the existing actual knowledge standard (preventing an operator from collecting personal information without meeting certain requirements when it has actual knowledge that it is collecting such information from a child) and what effects changing such standard will have on children's online privacy.
Common questions
- What does H.R. 5573 do?
- H.R. 5573, the PROTECT Kids Act, would amend the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998 (COPPA). It would raise the age of children covered by the law's protections from under 13 to under 16, and explicitly extend COPPA's requirements to mobile applications, not just websites and online services. It would also expand the definition of "personal information" subject to protection to include precise geolocation information and biometric information, such as fingerprints, facial characteristics, and iris or retina patterns. Additionally, it would strengthen rules preventing operators from cutting off service to children whose parents refuse to allow further data collection, and would require operators to delete a child's personal information upon a verified parental request. The bill primarily affects children and teenagers who use websites, online services, and mobile apps, as well as the companies that operate them, which would face expanded compliance obligations regarding data collection from users up to age 16. Parents would gain clearer rights to request deletion of their children's data. The bill also directs the Federal Trade Commission to study, within two years of enactment, whether COPPA's current "knowledge standard" for determining when an operator is covered by the law remains appropriate, and to report findings and recommendations to relevant congressional committees. The bill was introduced on January 9, 2020, by Rep. Tim Walberg and referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. It did not receive a vote and did not advance further before the end of the 116th Congress, meaning it did not become law.
- Has H.R. 5573 become law?
- Not yet. As of 9 Jan 2020, H.R. 5573 is introduced.
- Who sponsored H.R. 5573?
- H.R. 5573 was sponsored by Rep. Tim Walberg [R-MI5] (Republican-MI), with 1 cosponsor.
- What's the latest action on H.R. 5573?
- Introduced (9 Jan 2020).
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