HowtoComplywiththeChildren'sOnlinePrivacyProtectionRuleHYPERLINK"http://business.ftc.gov/sites/default/files/pdf/bus45-how-comply-childrens-online-privacy-protection-rule.pdf"\t"_blank"[PDF]TheChildren'sOnlinePrivacyProtectionAct,effectiveApril21,2000,appliestotheonlinecollectionofpersonalinformationfromchildrenunder13.ThenewrulesspelloutwhataWebsiteoperatormustincludeinaprivacypolicy,whenandhowtoseekverifiableconsentfromaparentandwhatresponsibilitiesanoperatorhastoprotectchildren'sprivacyandsafetyonline.TheFederalTradeCommissionstaffpreparedthisguidetohelpyoucomplywiththenewrequirementsforprotectingchildren'sprivacyonlineandunderstandtheFTC'senforcementauthority.WhoMustComplyIfyouoperateacommercialWebsiteoranonlineservicedirectedtochildrenunder13thatcollectspersonalinformationfromchildrenorifyouoperateageneralaudienceWebsiteandhaveactualknowledgethatyouarecollectingpersonalinformationfromchildren,youmustcomplywiththeChildren'sOnlinePrivacyProtectionAct.TodeterminewhetheraWebsiteisdirectedtochildren,theFTCconsidersseveralfactors,includingthesubjectmatter;visualoraudiocontent;theageofmodelsonthesite;language;whetheradvertisingontheWebsiteisdirectedtochildren;informationregardingtheageoftheactualorintendedaudience;andwhetherasiteusesanimatedcharactersorotherchild-orientedfeatures.Todeterminewhetheranentityisan"operator"withrespecttoinformationcollectedatasite,theFTCwillconsiderwhoownsandcontrolstheinformation;whopaysforthecollectionandmaintenanceoftheinformation;whatthepre-existingcontractualrelationshipsareinconnectionwiththeinformation;andwhatroletheWebsiteplaysincollectingormaintainingtheinformation.PersonalInformationTheChildren'sOnlinePrivacyProtectionActandRuleapplytoindividuallyidentifiableinformationaboutachildthatiscollectedonline,suchasfullname,homeaddress,emailaddress,telephonenumberoranyotherinformationthatwouldallowsomeonetoidentifyorcontactthechild.TheActandRulealsocoverothertypesofinformation--forexample,hobbies,interestsandinformationcollect