December 11, 2009

DOD Dumps Company Suspected of Exploiting Children of Military Familes

The Electronic Privacy Information Center filed an FTC complaint against Echometrix when it learned that the company was in violation of the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). The law prohibits online companies from collecting and using information on children 13 years of age or younger. Echometrix maker of the FamilySafe parental control software product advertised itself as allowing parents to monitor the online activity of their children. What the company did not disclose was that it to wanted to also monitor the online activity of children for marketing purposes. The Defense Department's Army and Air Force Exchange (AAFES) Web site offered the Echometrix product for sale. EPIC also filed a Freedom of Information Act Request with the DOD seeking information on the arrangement reached between the agency and Echometrix. Shortly after the agency was informed of EPIC's COPPA based complaint to the FTC the AAFES ended its relationship with Echometrix.

Defense Department pulls parental control software over privacy issues, Elinor Mills, CNET.com, December 3, 2009