Advocates Urge FTC to Study Tech Companies’ Gathering of Kids Data

The FTC should compel information from technology, media and educational tech companies collecting children’s data, the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood and Center for Digital Democracy wrote the agency Thursday. Citing increased video streaming due to COVID-19, the groups said the agency should target AT&T, Comcast, Google, Zoom, Disney, Viacom and edtech companies Edmodo and Prodigy. The groups suggested the agency use 6(b) authority to do a study. A 6(b) study carries subpoena authority, allowing the commission to request nonpublic information. The letter, sent by the Institute for Public Representation at Georgetown Law, pertains to the agency’s review of the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (see 1912120062). The commission should avoid actions “that could undermine strong protections for children’s privacy without full information about a complex data collection ecosystem,” the groups wrote. An FTC spokesperson confirmed the agency received the request.