During a recent Senate committee hearing on consumer privacy, Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Chair Jon Leibowitz described “aggressive” efforts the agency has undertaken to protect children’s online privacy. He referred to actions taken over the past decade against website operators that collected information from children without parental consent, as required by federal law. Among the companies that agreed to pay fines and change their practices were Hershey Foods Corp., Mrs. Fields Famous Brands, Inc. and American Pop Corn Co., which allegedly failed to comply with the law when engaging children in online games and birthday-related activities. Leibowitz also noted that FTC plans to release a report later this year reflecting input from a number of stakeholder roundtables on privacy protection in an environment of new technologies and business models. According to Leibowitz, the commission is now conducting a comprehensive review of its parental notice rule “in light of changing technology,…
Category Archives Issue 358
Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) has introduced legislation that would give federal prosecutors the authority to seek prison sentences up to 10 years for those who “knowingly place contaminated food products into the nation’s food supply.” Explaining his reason for introducing the Food Safety Enhancement Act (S.3669), the senator referred to the Salmonella contamination of peanut products in 2008 involving the Peanut Corp. of America; the outbreak purportedly “left nine people dead and sickened hundreds more.” According to a press statement, Leahy said, “The bill I introduce today would increase sentences for people who put profits above safety by knowingly contaminating the food supply. It makes such offenses felony violations and significantly increases the chances that those who commit them will face jail time, rather than a slap on the wrist, for their criminal conduct.” See Office of Senator Leahy Press Release, July 29, 2010.
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