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| Image Source: https://www.bark.us/blog/cipa-compliance/ |
What is CIPA?
The Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA) was enacted by Congress in 2000 to address concerns about children’s access to obscene or harmful content over the internet. CIPA applies primarily to schools and libraries that receive discounts through the federal E-rate program, which provides funding for internet access and infrastructure. To comply, institutions must:
- Use filters to block obscene or harmful content
- Monitor online activities of minors
- Educate students about appropriate online behavior, including cyberbullying
Source: FCC Guide to CIPA
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| Image Source: https://www.groovypost.com/explainer/what-you-need-to-know-about-coppa-and-whether-websites-are-using-it/ |
What is COPPA?
The Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), passed in 1998, is aimed at protecting the privacy of children under the age of 13. It requires websites, apps, and online services that are directed at children or knowingly collect data from children under 13 to:
- Provide clear privacy policies
- Obtain verifiable parental consent before collecting personal information
- Allow parents to review and delete their child’s data
Source: FTC Children's Privacy Overview
Do These Laws Do Enough?
As a teacher, I appreciate that CIPA mandates internet safety education. It’s a practical step that empowers students to be critical digital citizens. However, I also see that filters can be blunt tools. They often block legitimate educational content, which can hinder learning. Worse, the tech-savvy students often find ways around them anyway.
As a parent, I’m grateful COPPA exists to put some kind of boundary on data collection for younger children. But let’s be honest, many platforms don’t enforce these rules well, and plenty of kids under 13 are using apps like YouTube, TikTok, and Snapchat without meaningful oversight.
That leads me to danah boyd’s comment that COPPA teaches kids to lie, and I have to admit I think she’s right. Kids often create fake birthdates to sign up for accounts. They learn very early that the path to accessing the digital world is to fudge the truth. That’s not a great lesson.
Is 13 the Right Age?
Honestly? I’m not sure. Thirteen feels arbitrary. Developmentally, some kids are ready for more freedom and responsibility online at 11, while others may not be ready even at 15. The line has to be drawn somewhere, but what we really need is education and active parental involvement, not just age-based gatekeeping. We wouldn’t hand a kid car keys just because they turned 16. We train them. We supervise them. And we should take a similar approach with digital literacy and privacy.
The Bigger Picture
There are other efforts on the table, like the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA), which aims to push platforms to design with children’s mental health in mind (read more here). While it’s well-intentioned, it also raises concerns about government overreach and potential censorship. Balancing safety, privacy, and freedom of expression is complicated.
What I think we need most is a culture of digital responsibility in schools, in homes, and on the part of tech companies. That includes transparency about how data is used, better tools for parents and teachers, and real consequences for companies that violate these standards.
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| Image Source: https://www.tupeloschools.com/mental-health/mental-health/internet-safety |
Final Thoughts
CIPA and COPPA are important, but they’re just the beginning. Our kids are growing up in a digital world we never experienced at their age. We need modernized laws, yes, but we also need ongoing conversations, tech education, and intentional parenting. As a teacher, I’ll keep talking to my students about how to stay safe online. As a dad, I’ll keep asking questions and trying (however imperfectly) to guide my kids through this world. And I hope lawmakers, educators, and tech companies will keep stepping up too.
Hi Peter,
ReplyDeleteYou bring up a very good point about digital safety... that it is our job as adults to guide students through their exploration of the internet. However, many adults do not know how to use the internet safely. I do agree that these meaningful conversations we have with our students will protect them more than legislation. Being there when a student makes a mistake when using the internet and turning it into a teaching moment will be much more beneficial in the long run rather than punishing the student.
When COPPA and CIPA were first enacted the world, and the amount of apps/data/websites/access was much different. Like you, I feel that part of what will help solve this is education. There need to be solid conversations and lessons about digital literacy that take place at every age level.
ReplyDeleteHi Peter, the driving analogy is a good one. I just went through this with one of my kids, so I know that before an Illinois teen can get their license, the state requires 30 hours of classroom instruction and a certain number of hours of behind-the-wheel with a certified instructor, in addition to 50 hours of practice with a parent/other adult. It's a partnership between government, educators, and parents--for the sake of keeping these new drivers safe (as well as everyone else on the roads!). I wonder how this kind of multi-pronged model might work for digital literacy. How can schools and libraries encourage parents/provide more opportunities for parents to teach their children key skills that will help them make good online choices?
ReplyDeleteHi Peter- I love the title of your blog! Going through this unit (and class) as both a parent and an educator must provide a different (perhaps more) insight that what I might get, and I appreciate your points about kids getting around filters and blocks if they really want to, and about how arbitrary the limit of age 13 can be for these guidances. I especially liked your comparison of the internet and a car: kids need to learn how to use and respect both under adult supervision before being given the full reign.
ReplyDelete