What is COPPA and Why Should I Care?
As parents, we worry about every aspect of our kids’ lives, especially when they’re out of our sight. We wonder who they’re with, if they’re being safe, and if they’re being too trusting. For most of us, we don’t breathe a sigh of relief until they walk through the door, safe and sound.
But what about when they’re hanging out with us in the kitchen, playing on the laptop, or they’re upstairs in their bedroom with their friends, gathered around an iPad? They’re safe, right? Well, that all depends on the sites they’re visiting. Let’s face it: we all know how easy it is to take a wrong turn on the Internet and end up on a questionable site that suddenly tries to engage you.
Despite warnings at home and at school, it’s still possible that a trusting child under 13 may think that sharing her name, age and other personal info on a website isn’t a big deal. We parents know better. That said, how many of us actually know how to a identify a kid-friendly site that is truly safe?
If that last question made you pause, you’re not alone. So let’s talk about kids’ safety online, starting with updates to the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), and what you should look for in kid-safe websites.
What, exactly, is COPPA?
According to OnGuardOnline.gov, “The COPPA Rule was put in place to protect kids’ personal information on websites and online services — including apps — that are directed to children under 13. The Rule also applies to a general audience site that knows it’s collecting personal information from kids that age.”
Originally passed in 1998, COPPA went into effect in April of 2000. In December 2012, COPPA was updated with changes that went into effect on July 1, 2013. As the Bureau of Consumer Protection notes, “The primary goal of COPPA is to place parents in control over what information is collected from their young children online. The Rule was designed to protect children under age 13 while accounting for the dynamic nature of the Internet.”
It’s important to point out that COPPA doesn’t control what content your kids can access online, like pornography. It only dictates what personal information commercial websites (including mobile apps) and online services can collect from children under 13. So, for example, if a site has questionable content (such as nudity) but doesn’t require site visitors to give any personal identification, COPPA does NOT apply.
How is COPPA enforced?
COPPA is a rule that the operators of commercial websites and online services geared towards children under 13 must follow. Operators who violate COPPA are subject to civil penalties (as much as $16,000 per violation). The FTC vets complaints from consumers and industry watchdog groups alike. According to the FTC, “Information about the FTC’s COPPA enforcement actions can be found by clicking on the Case Highlights link in the FTC’s Business Center.”
How does it work in reality — what will my kids and I have to do on a COPPA compliant site?
If a site requires personal information from children under 13, a parent or legal guardian will be required to give verifiable parental consent. The verifiable parental consent works as a safeguard, since the accepted verification methods are ones that would be difficult for a child to fake.
For example, if your child wants to sign up for Club Z from FPgirl, she needs to provide an email address (so that we can email her about upcoming surveys and contests). BUT an email is considered personal information, so if your child is under 13, an email notice will go to YOU first, alerting you that your daughter wants to sign up. In order to sign her up, YOU will need to provide verifiable parental consent before we can collect and save her email address.
Sites have several options they can use when it comes to obtaining verifiable parental consent. At Club Z by FPgirl, for example, parents can provide verification by providing one of the following:
- the last 4 digits of an adult’s social security number
- a driver’s license number
- a physical form with an adult’s contact information and physical signature
- verbal consent over the phone to a trained professional,
- a valid credit card (meaning we charge $1 to make sure the credit card is legit and then issue an immediate refund)
While we understand that these extra steps can feel burdensome in the short term, we do believe these steps go a long way in keeping children and their personal information safe.
How can I tell if a website is COPPA compliant?
COPPA compliant sites will likely be VERY open and obvious about the fact that they’re following COPPA. Because COPPA requires due diligence and careful backend setup, compliant sites are usually quite happy to show parents how they’re following the letter of the law.
Things that you should be able to easily find on COPPA-compliant sites:
- Clear, easy-to-access privacy policy. In fact, many sites will have a section devoted to parents. These sections tend to go into great depths on the privacy policy, verifiable parental consent, and COPPA. Here’s the FPgirl privacy policy.
- A privacy policy that’s written in easy-to-understand language. It’s not enough for the privacy policy to simply be available; it should also be easy for people to read and follow. The privacy policy should outline what info is being collected, how it’s being used, and how the site is keeping the info secure.
- Visual seals that indicate certified compliance, such as the Privo Privacy Certified program.
- An easy and obvious way for you to review your kids’ account/profile. Remember, one of the main goals of COPPA is to put parents in control, so you should be able to review your children’s information (but be aware that the site operators will need to confirm YOUR identity before granting you access to your child’s info).
Bottom line: trust your gut. If a site seems “off,” trust your instinct. Do a Google search on the company and see if anything pops. Talk to fellow parents. When in doubt, don’t give your consent.
What if I’ve found a website that doesn’t appear to be playing by the rules?
Anyone who feels a website or online service is in violation of COPPA can submit complaints through the FTC website or toll free number, (877) FTC-HELP.
Where can I learn more about COPPA?
The FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection has an extensive FAQs section for parents and website operators alike. You can check out the FTC’s COPPA FAQ here. Another great site that’s written in layman’s terms is OnGuardOnline.gov.
Wordless Wednesday: Happy High Heel
It’s Wordless Wednesday!
Sometimes you just need a really HAPPY HIGH HEEL with lots of color and enthusiasm!
Wear them proud today!
Beauty Tuesday: How to do a Waterfall Twist on your Tween
It’s ALMOST Back-to-School time!! That being said, I’ve been getting a bunch of requests lately for easy hair tutorials to do on tweens. I used to LOVE my mother doing my hair when I was a tween. She would always create such cool hairstyles on me, and I would always feel so pretty!
I love this hair tutorial from Cute Girls Hairstyles on YouTube because she makes it so easy to understand. She also has a TON of other tutorials for you to check out, too!
ENJOY!
You might also have fun taking a peek at the tips and advice the girls are giving each other on the FPgirl Style Mag!
Have you ever been the mom who had to coordinate a volunteer project - a class party where you needed a bunch of moms to bring items or snacks for the team for each game? It can be a big deal - and sometimes you feel like you’re constantly hounding moms, sending out emails, nagging parents with phone calls and follow-up texts. Not only that, it’s countless volunteer hours that you’re spending, when you could be using those hours doing other things for your family, the school or the team that you’ve volunteered to help in the first place!
That’s why we at FPgirl were thrilled to discover Volunteer Spot! We had a chance to chat with Jess Young, VolunteerSpot’s community manager (@VolunteerSpot), and ask some questions to find out how the program works. We think you’ll love it as much as we do!
Q: Can you give me the ‘elevator’ pitch of what Volunteer Spot is exactly?
A: VolunteerSpot saves time and makes it easy for anyone, anywhere to coordinate activities in our local schools and communities. Our free online signup and scheduling tools put an end to reply-all email, spreadsheet juggling and illegible clipboard sign up sheets and make it easy for more parents to pitch-in and participate.
Moms use VolunteerSpot for everything from organizing parents to help in the classroom, volunteers for large fundraisers, team and Scout snacks, Sunday school leaders, charity projects, you name it.
Q: Can you tell us how Volunteer Spot came to be?
A: VolunteerSpot is the brainchild of a busy mom who got frustrated with reply-all email about who was helping in her daughter’s school, Scouts and sports team. She noticed it was the same ten people helping all the time and working parents, especially, found it difficult to get involved. Not because they didn’t want to – but because poor communication got in the way. The idea to simplify parent volunteering and signups became a website, and 3 million busy moms and volunteers later, it’s a mission-critical tool (with smartphone and iPad apps) for groups of all kinds!
Q: Who are the main users of Volunteer Spot? I’m guessing busy moms? Any men? Do students, young people use it?
A: People from all walks of life volunteer and use VolunteerSpot – but given the nature of school and parent volunteering, it plays out that our business is dominated by busy moms and teachers organizing activities. That said, we’re a nation partner of Watch D.O.G.S. – a fantastic organization that boosts father involvement in schools, and we support thousands of nonprofits, campus service teams, faith and community groups world wide – organizing daily food pantry volunteers, huge festivals and fundraising events, community cleanups, animal shelter helpers, races and so much more.
Q: What are the main benefits of using Volunteer Spot?
A: By making it so easy to ask for help and even easier to sign up to help, we save time and boost parent and volunteer turnout. One room mom recently told us we saved her and her class parents hundreds of hours of coordination time over the school year – that’s a huge savings of found time for things that matter!
With VolunteerSpot, the people signing up to help never need a password, and our signups are 100-percent smartphone-optimized so a mom can quickly choose her spots while in the grocery line or between meetings – with just a few taps.
Confirmation and reminder emails help keep everyone on track, and quick views of all the signups online in one place make coordinators very happy.
Teachers who use VolunteerSpot for parent-teacher conference scheduling tell us they go from 50-60 percent of parents showing up on time for their conferences to 95 percent+ - that’s huge!
Q: Can you offer some ways that Volunteer Spot will help moms and/or families with back-to-school craziness?
A: We all know that in parent world, at any time if could be your turn to be the one to chair the committee, be the room parent or team mom, or help organize the party. It’s our hope that we make it easier for more parents to (boldly) step up and take the lead – stress free!
This time of year, Room Parents and PTO leaders proactively set up volunteer signups for everything from weekly readers to snack schedules, to recess and lunch helpers, class parties, teacher hospitality events, tutor/learning center volunteers, and fundraisers like carnivals, books fairs, chili cook-offs – you name it! (and then there are sports, religious education, and after-school activities needing parent leaders, snacks, carpools and fundraisers too!)
Q: Is there a charge to use Volunteer Spot?
A: NO! VolunteerSpot is FREE for everyone to use.
Q: What else can you tell us about Volunteer Spot?
A: It really is super easy – if you can shop online, you can use VolunteerSpot! We hope your community will give us a try and recommend VolunterSpot to their room parents, teachers and team leaders this year.
Added BONUS – we have a GIANT back-to-school giveaway: Take the Pledge to Volunteer at school this year and you could win $1,500 for your school! (there will be *3 winning schools!) Click Here
Sunday Inspiration: She Believed She Could
One of my best friends gave me a plaque that looks exactly like this for my birthday one year and it’s a sentiment that I hold dear to my heart. It’s a great quote for girls and women alike. If you believe it can happen and work hard to achieve your dreams, you can do it. Hold hard to your dreams, work toward them and never give up. Let this be your inspiration for the week, for the month, for the year, and never give up on your goals or dreams. Remember, if you believe that you can do it, you can do it!
Happy Sunday! Have a great week!
Photo credit: pastaqueen.com
Fashion Friday: Fun Sunglasses for your Daughter
We’ve still got a lot of beach weather and sunshine with seven weeks of summer officially left! Let’s talk important stuff: Sunglasses for your daughter! No matter what her age, it’s so important to keep your daughter’s eyes protected from the sun’s harmful rays. You wear your shades every day don’t you? It’s never too early to have your daughter put on a pair to protect her peepers! My sister-in-law has trained my niece, who is only one, to wear sunglasses! She looks totally adorable in her sunglasses and never tries to take them off.
A great pair of sunglasses can add flair to any outfit. Your daughter can play up her sporty look, or if she’s a fashion diva, she can go glam with some rhinestones. Since sunglasses come in all sorts of shapes and colors, and with tons of different embellishments, there’s a pair that will fit her personality perfectly! And since sunglasses for kids are so inexpensive, you can get her a couple of pairs to match her outfits and her moods!
Get your tween to put on a pair to keep her eyes healthy! Below are three options we like:
Consider these feisty leopard cat eye sunglasses from Justice on sale for only $6.72
Your daughter will fall in love with these heart-shaped Marilyn sunglasses in green from Target for $12.99. Also available in yellow.
Summer plum rhinestone sunglasses from Gap Kids on sale for $7.99 will appeal to the diva in your daughter!
Tween Turning Point: Back-to-School Quick Check!
Is Your Tween Ready For Back-to-School? 5-Point Check List!
Consider these tasks that might not be on your regular to-do list to get your tween girl into the routine of back-to-school!
1) Doctor - Your daughter goes to the doctor for a physical every year around her birthday, but does she need a checkup before school starts? Will she be participating in any new sports that might require an updated physical? Is she going to a new school? Does she have all her immunizations up to date?
2) Bedtime Routine - Start bedtime a bit earlier now so that when school does start, she’s accustomed to waking on time. You might also consider a special new nighttime skin care routine for girls — now that she’s entering a new grade, it might be fun to introduce her to some of Willa’s tricks for keeping her skin a healthy glow.
3) Time For Lunch? - Negotiate lunch-making. Your daughter may be old enough to take over in the kitchen when it comes to making her lunches each day. Could you add a bit to her allowance, or promise something special each month if you turn over this task to her? This will teach her some added responsibility (and alleviate you from one of the many tasks you have to do!).
4) Fall Fashion Update - Can’t forget some shopping! Stop by the FPgirl back to school shop for girls with style. Our new Laura peace print backpack is so cute. Or maybe she can design a new shirt or dress for school!
5) Survival Tips! - Our FPgirls are amazing people, and they often give advice to each other. Here are some special tips on how to survive middle school, by one of the girls, “Isabelle”.
Here’s to a great new year for everyone!
About the Author:
Stephanie Elliot, in no particular order, is a wife, writer, blogger, book reviewer, editor and mother to three kids, two who have already been tweens, and one who is right smack in the middle of his tween-ness. Her oldest son is almost driving and her daughter survived her tween years so Stephanie must be doing something right. Find out more at stephanieelliot.com.
