PROTECT Kids Act
The source supplies the latest action, but no lifecycle stage.
Latest action (11 Mar 2021): Referred to the Subcommittee on Consumer Protection and Commerce.
What this bill does
H.R. 1781, 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 COPPA's protections from under 13 to under 16. It would also expand the law's definition of "personal information" to explicitly include precise geolocation information and biometric information, and would clarify that COPPA's requirements apply to mobile applications in addition to websites and online services. The bill would strengthen parental-consent protections by barring operators from cutting off service to a child when a parent refuses further collection or use of the child's data, and by requiring operators to delete a child's personal information upon a verified parental request.
The bill primarily affects operators of websites, online services, and mobile apps that collect personal information from users, as well as parents of children up to age 16, who would gain expanded rights to control and delete their children's data. The Federal Trade Commission, which enforces COPPA, would also be affected, as it would take on new study and reporting duties.
The bill directs the FTC to study, within two years of enactment, whether COPPA's existing "actual knowledge" standard for determining when a service is covered remains appropriate, and to report findings and recommendations to the House Energy and Commerce Committee and Senate Commerce Committee.
The bill was introduced March 10, 2021, 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 in the 117th Congress.
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.
Timeline
11 Mar 2021
Referred to the Subcommittee on Consumer Protection and Commerce.
Common questions
- What does H.R. 1781 do?
- H.R. 1781, 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 COPPA's protections from under 13 to under 16. It would also expand the law's definition of "personal information" to explicitly include precise geolocation information and biometric information, and would clarify that COPPA's requirements apply to mobile applications in addition to websites and online services. The bill would strengthen parental-consent protections by barring operators from cutting off service to a child when a parent refuses further collection or use of the child's data, and by requiring operators to delete a child's personal information upon a verified parental request. The bill primarily affects operators of websites, online services, and mobile apps that collect personal information from users, as well as parents of children up to age 16, who would gain expanded rights to control and delete their children's data. The Federal Trade Commission, which enforces COPPA, would also be affected, as it would take on new study and reporting duties. The bill directs the FTC to study, within two years of enactment, whether COPPA's existing "actual knowledge" standard for determining when a service is covered remains appropriate, and to report findings and recommendations to the House Energy and Commerce Committee and Senate Commerce Committee. The bill was introduced March 10, 2021, 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 in the 117th Congress.
- Has H.R. 1781 become law?
- The source does not supply a confirmed lifecycle stage for H.R. 1781. Check the latest action and official source below.
- Who sponsored H.R. 1781?
- H.R. 1781 was sponsored by Rep. Walberg, Tim [R-MI-7] (R-MI), with 1 cosponsor.
- What's the latest action on H.R. 1781?
- Referred to the Subcommittee on Consumer Protection and Commerce. (11 Mar 2021).
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