The Social Media Law Blog is a forum for lawyers, compliance personnel, human resources managers, and other professionals who are struggling with the legal implications of social media across a broad variety of topics. Working professionals and Bloomberg BNA editors may share ideas, raise issues, and network with colleagues to build a community of knowledge on this rapidly evolving topic. The ideas presented here are those of individuals, and Bloomberg BNA bears no responsibility for the appropriateness or accuracy of the communications between group members.
Friday, August 23, 2013
by Michael Loatman
Motivated high school students considering where to attend college are a new target for LinkedIn Corp., which announced in an Aug. 19 blog post that it will lower its minimum age to 14 in the United States next month.
"Smart, ambitious students are already thinking about their futures when they step foot into high school-where they want to go to college, what they want to study, where they want to live and work," Eric Heath, legal director of privacy and public policy at LinkedIn, said in announcing the proposed Sept. 12 changes to its terms of service. "We want to encourage these students to leverage the insights and connections of the millions of successful professionals on LinkedIn, so they can make the most informed decisions and start their careers off right."
Heath added that the company would set different default privacy settings for teenage members that "limit publicly viewable profile information and unwanted communications." Additional safeguards include adding a link to the website's family center, he said.
According to the blog post, LinkedIn is lowering its minimum age worldwide, with the exact age set by a country's applicable rules and regulations. The minimum age will be 13 in most countries.
The 1998 Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), 15 U.S.C. §§ 6501-6506, and the accompanying COPPA Rule, 16 C.F.R. pt. 312, enforced by the Federal Trade Commission, apply to websites that are directed toward children younger than 13 or have actual knowledge that they are collecting personal information from such minors.
Legal issues may still remain for websites such as LinkedIn that permit teenagers to use the service. Melissa Krasnow, a partner with Dorsey & Whitney's Minneapolis office, told BNA Aug. 21 that the FTC also seeks to protect the privacy of teenagers online, not just children under 13.
"The FTC has signaled its interest in protecting the privacy of teens through a FAQ regarding teens in its COPPA FAQs as well as in its Protecting Consumer Privacy Report issued in March 2012. In its mentions of teens in these publications, the FTC also references social networks," Krasnow said.
She added that the FTC could use its enforcement authority under Section 5 of the FTC Act, which makes unlawful unfair or deceptive acts.
"Given the large percentages of teens that use social networks and mobile applications, teens' privacy likely will become more regulated going forward," Krasnow predicted.
Copyright 2013, The Bureau of National Affairs, Inc.
You must Sign In or Register to post a comment.
I’d Like to Add You to My Professional Network
Two Companies Request FTC Review of Proposed COPPA Parental Consent Methods
MacArthur Foundation to Decline Facebook Settlement Funds
More Transparency on National Security Requests?
BBNA Social Media Portfolio Available