PROTECT Kids Act

To amend the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Preventing Real Online Threats Endangering Children Today PROTECT Kids Act 2. Amendments to the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998 The Children's Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998 ( 15 U.S.C. 6501 (1) by inserting , including a service provided through a mobile application, online service (2) in section 1302— (A) in paragraph (1), by striking age of 13 age of 16 (B) in paragraph (8)— (i) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by inserting including a service provided through a mobile application collected online (ii) by redesignating subparagraphs (F) and (G) as subparagraphs (H) and (I), respectively; and (iii) by inserting after subparagraph (E) the following: (F) precise geolocation information; (G) biometric information; ; and (C) by adding at the end the following: (13) Mobile application The term mobile application (A) a mobile telephone; (B) a tablet computer; or (C) a similar portable computing device that transmits data over a wireless connection. (14) Biometric information The term biometric information (15) Precise geolocation information The term precise geolocation information ; and (3) in section 1303(b)— (A) in paragraph (1)— (i) in subparagraph (A)(I), by inserting or mobile application website (ii) in subparagraph (B)(ii), by striking use or maintenance in retrievable form, or future online collection collection or use (B) by amending paragraph (3) to read as follows: (3) Continuation of service The regulations shall— (A) prohibit the operator of a website, online service, or mobile application from terminating service provided to a child whose parent has refused, under the regulations prescribed under paragraph (1)(B)(ii), to permit the operator's further collection or use of personal information from that child, or has required such operator to delete such information; and (B) require the operator, upon request of a parent whose child has provided personal information to that website or, online service, including a service provided through a mobile application, upon proper identification of that parent, to delete any personal information collected from such child. . 3. Federal Trade Commission study (a) In general (1) Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Commission shall conduct a study on the knowledge standard found in section 1303(a)(1) of the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998 ( 15 U.S.C. 6501 (2) In conducting such study, the Commission shall— (A) consider whether the existing knowledge standard is still appropriate for accomplishing the goals of this Act; (B) consider the affect changing such knowledge standard will have on children’s online privacy, including whether it will increase or decrease such privacy; (C) consider the feasibility of complying with any change to such knowledge standard; (D) whether any Federal agency has studied such change; and (E) whether any think tank or privacy advocacy or digital rights group has studied such a change. (3) Based on the study, the Commission shall— (A) develop recommendations as to whether the knowledge standard should be changed; (B) develop recommendations as to what the new knowledge standard should be, if appropriate; (C) provide the basis for its recommendation to change the knowledge standard, if appropriate; (D) cite examples of Federal agency studies on changing the knowledge standard; and (E) cite examples of think tank or privacy advocacy or digital rights group studies on changing the knowledge standard. (b) Report to Congress Following completion of the study pursuant to subsection (a), the Commission shall report the results and recommendations to the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate.

Summary: Preventing Real Online Threats Endangering Children Today or the PROTECT Kids Act This bill addresses the online collection of personal information from children. Specifically, the bill raises the age for parental consent protections for children online from under 13 to under 16, adds geolocation and biometric information to protected personal information, and extends all protections for children online to mobile applications. The bill also requires the operator of a website, online service, or mobile application to delete a child's personal information upon the verified request of a parent, and it prohibits such operator from terminating service to a child whose parent has refused to permit further collection or use of that child's personal information. Additionally, the Federal Trade Commission must study and report on the appropriateness of the existing actual knowledge standard (preventing an operator from collecting personal information without meeting certain requirements when it has actual knowledge that it is collecting such information from a child) and what effects changing such standard will have on children's online privacy.