COPPA Aims to Protect Children Online

By Stacy S. Jensen

Do you know about COPPA? That's the Children's Online Privacy Act. I'm not an attorney, nor do I write about them, so I can't really explain it. I am a reader, writer, and blogger, so I'll try to give you a log line.

COPPA aims to protect the privacy of children online.

COPPA rules became effective on July 1. So, if you have a website or blog catering to children — author, illustrator, or developer of children's picture books or storybook apps — you may need to have a privacy policy in place to address the rules outlined by COPPA.

Here are links with more information on the new COPPA rules:

• COPPA and you! by Roxie Munro

• COPPA: The Basics

• FAQs on Complying with COPPA

The Internet is filled with tons of wonderful information — and some unsavory characters too — I want to keep the Internet a safe place for potential readers and the children I know.

If you don't have a privacy policy on your website or blog, take a look at the FAQs about COPPA and see if you need to have one or not. There are sites online to help you create a privacy policy like this one.

During a recent web design class, my teacher indicated anyone who has a form — one of those fill-in-the blanks and send me a message-type forms — should have a privacy policy on her site.

I'm not affiliated with any of the sites, but that's another post about the FTC required disclosures in blog posts.

Do you have a privacy policy on your site? Do you think you need one?

About the Author: Stacy S. Jensen worked as a newspaper reporter and editor for two decades. Today, she writes picture books and revises a memoir manuscript. She lives in Colorado Springs with her husband and toddler. Blog: http://stacysjensen.blogspot.com Twitter: @StacySJensen