FTC to unveil new children's online privacy rules in Capitol Hill event

The Federal Trade Commission will unveil its update to the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) during an event on Capitol Hill on Wednesday.

Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.), chairman of the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, will join with FTC Chairman John Leibowitz to announce the new regulations. Sen. Mark Pryor (D-Ark.) and Reps. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) and Joe Barton (R-Texas) will also attend the press conference, which will he held at noon in the Russell Senate Office Building.

COPPA, passed in 1998, restricts the ability of website operators to knowingly collect information from children younger than 13.

The FTC proposed a draft revision in August that would clarify that the restrictions cover not only websites, but also games, apps, ad networks and other online plug-ins.

The proposal would also expand the definition of personal information to cover photos, videos and geolocation data.

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