The holiday season is upon us. For those families that celebrate Christmas, hopeful lists from boys and girls have likely already made their way to the North Pole. If you’re a proscratinator or just don’t remember anymore what a postage stamp looks like, Santa has gone online (he may be old but he’s still hip.) However, if Santa wants to stay off the naughty list he’d better keep a watchful eye on the FTC this week as the agency is expected to announce changes to its Online Children’s Privacy Protection Act (“COPPA”) just in time for the holidays. (For a discussion of the FTC’s proposed changes click here.) The pending announcement already has raised concerns in the blogosphere among some online groups, including the Interactive Advertising Bureau, that the new rules may strike the wrong balance between protecting children and discouraging innovation and commercial activity. Should the FTC make a COPPA announcement next week we’ll be sure to let you know.
