Statement by OSTP Director Arati Prabhakar in Support of the Federal Trade Commission’s Steps to Protect Children Online

In support of the Federal Trade Commission proposal to update the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Rule (COPPA Rule) and further ensure that digital services are safe and secure for children in America, Arati Prabhakar, Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy and Assistant to the President for Science and Technology, released the following statement:

President Biden has said that privacy is a fundamental right. But companies are collecting, using, and sharing our data widely. Today, the Biden-Harris Administration is taking an important step forward to protect our kids online.

The Federal Trade Commission’s new proposed rules would increase protections for kids’ personal data. These rules would limit companies’ abilities to collect and keep data about children, and would require parental consent before targeting advertising to kids. The proposed rules also protect children’s mental health by requiring parental consent for push notifications that aim to keep kids online. 

There is still more to do. When it comes to work, studying, or connecting with loved ones, we live much of our lives online. Our clicks, searches, and payments are tracked by companies that use and often sell our data, track us, and target us with advertisements. President Biden will continue to call on Congress to pass bipartisan legislation to impose strict limits on the personal data these companies collect on all of us.

###