• Advocates ask FTC to investigate apps which manipulate kids

    Oct 30 2018

    Sub-title

    Popular games for kids 5 and under lure them to watch ads and make in-app purchases

    A coalition of 22 consumer and public health advocacy groups called on the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) to investigate the preschool app market. The advocates’ letter urges the FTC to hold app makers accountable for unfair and deceptive practices, including falsely marketing apps that require in-app purchases as “free” and manipulating children to watch ads and make purchases.

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  • COPPA--Protecting Children’s Privacy Online for 20 Years

    Oct 4 2018

    Media Advisory – Save the Date


    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
    October 3, 2018


    Contact: Jeff Chester
    jeff@democraticmedia.org


    COPPA--Protecting Children’s Privacy Online for 20 Years
    Sen. Ed Markey, Advocates and Experts Celebrate COPPA as they focus on
    future challenges posed by the digital marketplace
    October 17th, Capitol Hill, Open to Public

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  • Advocates Call on Senate to Invite Consumer Privacy Experts to Testify

    Oct 1 2018

    October 1, 2018

    Chairman John Thune

    Ranking Member Bill Nelson

    Senate Commerce Committee

    Washington, DC

    Dear Chairman Thune and Ranking Member Nelson,

    We appreciate your interest in consumer privacy and the hearing you convened recently to explore this topic.

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  • Child Advocacy and Consumer Groups Tell FCC to Keep Key TV Safeguards for Children

    Sep 25 2018

    September 25, 2018                                                                                                            Contact: Jeff Chester-202-494-7100

                                                                                                                                                David Monahan 617-896-9397

    For Immediate Release

    Child Advocacy and Consumer Groups Tell FCC to Keep Key TV Safeguards for Children

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  • CDD Releases E-Guide to Help Protect Voters From Online Manipulation and False News

    Sep 12 2018

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    CDD Releases E-Guide to Help Protect Voters From Online Manipulation and False News
     
    Washington, D.C.: September 12, 2018
     
    To help fight online political misinformation and false news, which has  already resurfaced in the 2018 midterm elections,  CDD has produced a short e-guide to help voters understand how online media platforms can be hijacked to fan political polarization and social conflict.
     

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  • Public Citizen and Center for Digital Democracy Release Sign-on Letter Urging Companies to Adopt Europe’s New Data Protection Rules

    By: Katharina Kopp | May 24 2018

    U.S. companies should adopt the same data protection rules that are poised to go into effect in the European Union on May 25, Public Citizen, the Center for Digital Democracy and Privacy International said today.

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  • Consumer groups in the U.S. and EU urge Facebook to adopt the General Data Protection Regulation as a global baseline standard

    By: Katharina Kopp | Apr 9 2018

    In an open letter to Facebook's CEO Mark Zuckkerberg, members of the Transatlantic Consumer Dialogue urge the company "to confirm your company’s commitment to global compliance with the GDPR".

    Authors

    Katharina Kopp
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  • Advocates Say Google’s YouTube Violates Federal Children’s Privacy Law

    By: Jeff Chester | Apr 9 2018

    Sub-title

    Consumer, privacy and children’s groups file complaint urging FTC to stop most popular kids’ online video service from gathering children’s data

    WASHINGTON, DC—April 9, 2018—Today, a coalition of leading U.S. child advocacy, consumer, and privacy groups represented by the Institute for Public Representation filed a complaint(link is external) urging the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to investigate and sanction Google for violations of the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) in operating YouTube. Google claims that YouTube is only for users 13 and up, despite being the most popular online platform for children, used by 80% of American children ages 6 to 12. 

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  • CDD, EPIC, Coalition of Consumer Groups Urge FTC to Investigate Facebook

    By: Katharina Kopp | Mar 21 2018

    In a statement issued today, CDD, EPIC and a coalition of consumer groups have called on the Federal Trade Commission to determine whether Facebook violated a 2011 Consent Order when it facilitated the transfer of personal data of 50 million Facebook users to the data mining firm Cambridge Analytica.

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  • Statement of Jeff Chester on plans by FCC to review 3-hour Children’s Educational TV Programming Rule

    By: Jeff Chester | Feb 13 2018

    Broadcasters want to kill one of their only few public interest obligations:  to air at least 3 hours of educational children’s programming a week.  The FCC is engaged in another outrageous form of digital highway robbery—to steal from kids in order to allow TV giants to make even more profits from shows filled with commercials.   Broadcasters now earn billions of dollars from their free public license to transit television—including getting access to invaluable cable TV channels.  They are supposed to serve as  a “Trustee” of the airwaves—not video programming bandits.
    Authors

    Jeff Chester
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  • Facebook Messenger Kids App Statement

    By: Jeff Chester | Dec 4 2017

    Statement of Kathryn C Montgomery, Ph.D.
    Professor, School of Communication, American University
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  • Federal Election Commission (FEC) Must Hold Hearings on Role of Digital Media in Political Campaigns

    By: Katharina Kopp | Nov 9 2017

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    The Center for Digital Democracy calls on the Federal Election Commission (FEC) to hold hearings examining the role that the Internet and related digital data applications now play in federal political campaigns. The public needs a better understanding of how contemporary digital practices in the “Big Data” era affect our electoral system. CDD also urges the FEC to begin a rulemaking to revise its regulations concerning disclaimers so the public has appropriate access to information regarding the operations of online ads and related content.  

    Authors

    Katharina Kopp
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  • “Smartwatches” For Parents to Monitor Young Children Actually Pose a Danger to Kids’ Welfare—Report

    By: Jeff Chester | Oct 18 2017

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    Sub-title

    Groups call for investigation and action by U.S. and EU Regulators, including FTC

    WASHINGTON, DC – October 18, 2017—A number of brands of “smartwatches” intended to help parents monitor and protect young children have major security and privacy flaws which could endanger the children wearing them. A coalition of leading U.S. child advocacy, consumer, and privacy groups sent a letter to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) today, asking the agency to investigate the threat these watches pose to children.

    Authors

    Jeff Chester
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  • Advocates Call on FCC to Protect Programming and Advertising Safeguards for Children's TV

    By: Jeff Chester | Aug 4 2017

    Sub-title

    Commission Must Reject TV Industry Proposal to Undermine Public Interest Obligations

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Advocates called today on the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to reject an effort by major media companies to eliminate or weaken important rules for children’s television. The National Association of Broadcasters, Internet and Television Association (NCTA), CBS, Disney, Fox, Univision, and others have asked the FCC to significantly reduce advertising limits on children’s programming.

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  • CDD Tells EU to End “Privacy Shield” deal with U.S., FTC cannot protect U.S. consumer privacy, let alone EU citizens

    By: Jeff Chester | Jul 6 2017

    Sub-title

    Review finds EU Citizens data at risk; lack of review by Commerce department and FTC.
    The Center for Digital Democracy (CDD), a leading US NGO specializing in consumer data protection issues in the digital marketplace, is pleased to respond to the request that we provide information applicable to first annual review of the EUUS Privacy Shield. CDD has been assessing the Privacy Shield since it came into force in 2016, in part as a result of its work coordinating the activities from the US side of the Transatlantic Consumer Dialogue (TACD) working group on the Information Society
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  • Public Knowledge Joins Consumer Federation of America, Center for Digital Democracy and more in Complaint Urging FTC to Protect Consumer Privacy

    By: Staff | Jun 13 2017

    Public Knowledge joined by the Consumer Federation of America, the Center For Digital Democracy, Consumer Action, Consumer Federation of California, and the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse writes a letter urging the Federal Trade Commission Acting Chairman, Maureen Ohlhausen, to protect consumer privacy. The letter is asking the FTC Chairwoman to publicly and expeditiously resolve a pending complaint concerning cable TV and satellite TV privacy. 

    ---

    June 12, 2017

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  • CDD and CCFC Ask FTC to Suspend TRUSTe COPPA role and open up investigation

    By: Jeff Chester | May 25 2017

    The Center for Digital Democracy (CDD) and Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood (CCFC), by their attorneys, the Institute for Public Representation, respond to the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC or the Commission) request for comment on proposed changes to TRUSTe’s COPPA Safe Harbor program. TRUSTe has sought approval of changes to its COPPA Safe Harbor program that it states are necessary to comply with an Assurance of Discontinuance it recently entered into with the New York Attorney General’s Office (NYAG).

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  • Press Release For The FTC Complaint on Digital Pharma/Health Marketing

    By: Jeff Chester | May 6 2005

    CDD, U.S. PIRG, Consumer Watchdog, and World Privacy Forum call on the Federal Trade Commission to investigate interactive marketing of pharmaceutical and health products and services to consumers and health professionals.  

    Action is required to protect consumers, including their privacy, in the online health and medical marketplace. The FTC has a role to play to help the Food and Drug Administration address new threats.

    Read the press release below for details…

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