The FTC recently sent a letter to a Chinese based children's app maker alleging that it may be in violation of the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). According to the allegations, "it appears the child-directed applications marketed by
the company, BabyBus, appear to collect precise geolocation information
about users" without parental consent.
COPPA requires companies collecting personal information from
children under 13 to post clear privacy policies and to notify parents
and get their consent before collecting or sharing any information from children. While this app is not the only one that has allegedly violated COPPA and/or collected more information than needed to operate, it demonstrates a very troubling trend in apps: privacy by design continues to be an afterthought.
While I believe the FTC's letter is a positive development, it demonstrates the need for constant vigilance to protect our children's privacy. In general, it is none of the app's business where my children live, go to school, play, etc....
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