07/14/15

COPA and CIPA

The main compliancy requirements for COPA are if you are operating an online service or commercial web site aimed at children 13 or less you must comply with the Children’s Online
Privacy Act (COPA). To determine this the FTC considers a lot of different factors these include but are not limited to; age of models on the site, subject matter, visual and audio content and whether the site is using animated characters at all. To determine who the operator is the FTC will consider who owns and controls the information and what role the web site plays in its collection of information and maintaining. For CIPA Schools and Libraries may not receive discounts unless they certify that they have an internet safety policy that also includes technology protection measures. The protection must include filters to block obscene and harmful to minors. Before adapting this safety policy they must give a reasonable notice and hold a minimum of one public hearing to address the
Proposal.
The proposal must address the following; * Access to minors

* The security of minors when they use e-mail, chat rooms or other electronic communication.

* Unauthorized access by minors including hacking.

* Unauthorized disclosure, use or discrimination

* Measures to restrict minors access

Schools and libraries get E-Rate funding only if they certify compliance with CIPA. The operator for COPA must post the privacy notice on the homepage of their website.
They want to make sure it’s noticeable and a way to do this would be to enlarge the font and put it in bright colors. The content in this privacy notice must be clearly written and understandable to the average person that will be reading it. The policy must state this information; * The name and contact information of all operators collecting or maintaining minor’s personal information.

* The kinds of personal information collected from children such as (names, address, e-mail, and hobbies.

* How the operator uses this personal information

* Whether the operator of the web site discloses information to third parties or not.

* That the parent agrees to the use of their child’s information

* The operator of the site cannot require the child to disclose of more information than necessary.

* That the parent may review their child’s information.

Both CIPA and Copa are protecting children when they get online whether at school or in the library. They define their age limits differently because CIPA protects while they are using e- mail and chat and COPA protects about what’s allowed to be put in web page content CIPA is a filter where COPA is the operator of a web site. Filters aren’t a hundred percent which is why people don’t like and have issues with CIPA. CIPA is a way for congress to regulate speech on the internet. CIPA is a representation of an intersection of freedom of speech and the government to protect children from harm online.
There are a lot of first amendment issues that have to be dealt with in CIPA. Another problem with CIPA is that it limits the right to receive information, such as looking information up for school or work example a teacher. The most challenging of everything is the fight with the freedom of speech and CIPA and how it’s not only blocking children but it is also blocking adults that don’t have internet at home so they go to a public library. Adults too are blocked because of all the filters and firewalls on the server making a block for everyone that wants to use the local library or school.

I really don’t believe that our government should be putting these mandates out there. Keep an eye on your children instead of taking away rights and freedoms for others who also need to use these local computers cause they can’t afford one. It restricts them on what they can look up because libraries and schools can’t just switch on filters and take them away. I can understand
COPA but CIPA should only apply to schools cause kids 13 and under should be with their parents. References

Legal issues in information Security By; Joan Lyn Grama

COPPA Children’s Online Privacy Protection; http://www.COPPA.org

American Library Association: http://www.ala.org/offices/oif/ifissues/issuesrelatedlinks/cppacopacipa