COPPA and Echo Station
CHILDREN'S ONLINE PRIVACY PROTECTION ACT (COPPA)
COPPA, an act passed by the Federal Trade Commission, becomes effective on April 21, 2000. In case you're not familiar with COPPA, it requires that certain websites obtain parental consent before collecting, using or disclosing personal information (full name, home address email address, telephone number, etc.) from children under 13. Two types of websites must comply with this act: commercial websites directed at children under 13 and general audience websites that collect personal information from children under 13.
NovaTech Web Services/Echo Station and its networks fall into the second category of websites. Therefore, the network hub sites are making the following changes as of April 21:
1) We will not allow registration for any new user under the age of 13.
2) We will ensure that all tools & services on its server that collect personal data are registration protected. Children under age 13 who are denied registration will not be able to access these tools.
3) We will update our privacy policy & terms of service to reflect our stance on users under age 13 and will post to all home pages and registration pages.
4) We will contact current users under age 13 and will communicate the effects of COPPA. Post April 21, 2000, we will cancel the membership of any user under age 13 as we are best able to determine.
5) We will avoid future partnerships, affiliate relationships or advertising deals that target children under age 13.
Echo Station values all of our visitors greatly, but we also respect the laws and regulations that guard their privacy. Our site will of course remain open and free for all visitors regardless of age, but notices regarding this new law will be included in all contests, our message boards, chat room areas, and any and all other areas that may be affected by this ruling after the April 21st effective date. You may view our privacy statement online by clicking here.
If you think that COPPA may affect your site or are curious about further details, please read more about it at the FTC site: