[Foundation-l] COPPA

[Jeff V. Merkey]

geni wrote:

>On 9/8/06, Kelly Martin <kelly.lynn.martin at gmail.com> wrote:
>  
>
>>The Wikimedia Foundation is exempt from COPPA due to its status as a
>>non-profit organization not engaged in commerce.
>>    
>>
>
>The US goverment would disagree:
>
>Who Must Comply
>
>If you operate a commercial Web site or an online service directed to
>children under 13 that collects personal information from children or
>if you operate a general audience Web site and have actual knowledge
>that you are collecting personal information from children, you must
>comply with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act.
>
>http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/buspubs/coppa.htm
>
>The actual text of the law is complex and I would not venture an
>opinion on what effect it should have on the current activites of the
>foundation
>
>
>  
>
The Foundation should require age verification if this is true. It's
pretty simple, just a disclaimer
when an account is created "You cerify that ... blah blah blah ... you
are over <X> years of age".

And yes, they are engaged in commerce.

Jeff