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Senate Committee Passes
Children's Online Privacy Act

The Senate Commerce Committee passed an amended version of the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act October 1. The bill would require online providers to get a guardian's approval before collecting private information from children under age 12.

The version of the bill passed by the committee dropped some earlier provisions. "They took out that sites would have to inform parents and let them opt-out before collecting information from 13-to-16-year-olds because there were some First Amendment concerns," Pia Pialorsi, a spokeswoman for the committee, told the Associated Press.

When a Senate subcommittee held a hearing on the legislation September 23, ALA submitted a statement voicing its concerns that the bill wields too broad a brush, would have a chilling effect on children's access to information, and would diminish rather than protect their personal privacy.

Posted October 5, 1998.

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