In This Update:

Bill to Stop Use of Children’s Information Introduced in House

Measure Identical to Wyden Legislation

As Congress dashed to adjourn until after Labor Day, Congresswoman Darlene Hooley (D-OR) introduced legislation July 22 to prevent organizations from “manipulating and preying upon children by prohibiting” the use of information about children under the age of 16. The bill, the Children's Listbroker Privacy Act (HR 4955) is identical to legislation (S.2160) introduced by Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) in March.

“This measure will put a stop to the completely inappropriate practice of using the personal information of a child to make unwanted solicitations,” said Hooley, a four-term congresswoman.

The legislation prohibits the sale or transfer of lists of children under the age of 16 without first getting parental consent. The bill would effectively eliminate essential sources of lists for nearly all organizations that provide information to children and families.

Hooley is a former teacher who has been heavily involved privacy issues, especially identity-theft legislation as a member of the House Financial Services Committee. In an audio quote sent to radio stations Thursday, Hooley said the bill would “put a stop to the completely inappropriate practice of mailing unsolicited credit card applications to children,” something that does not intentionally happen now.

Both the Hooley and Wyden bills have been promoted by Commercial Alert, an Oregon-based, anti-corporate advocacy group. An article in The Seattle Times earlier this month reiterated that a congressional hearing on the legislation is slated for this fall.

Advocates Promote Banning Lists of “Toddlers to Teens”

A number of advocacy groups led by Commercial Alert, the group co-founded by Ralph Nader, continue to push for enactment of the Wyden legislation. A July 6 article in The Seattle Times was another indicator that their campaign has gone to the grassroots level, enlisting the support of school board members and the PTA.

The feature story said the Wyden legislation is, “part of a wave of new interest in limiting advertising and commercial influences on children, underscored by growing concern about a possible link between junk-food marketing and childhood obesity.” It quoted the head of the Washington State PTA saying use of direct-mail lists, “just smells bad.” And the Vice President of the Seattle School Board, who is also on Commercial Alert’s board, told the paper that, “I think parents would be shocked to learn their children’s privacy is for sale.”

A next-day editorial in the paper called for the Wyden bill to be “fast-tracked to passage,” saying “Buying and selling data on young children is unsavory” and, “An absolute, unambiguous ban on the trafficking of personal data of children has become necessary.” It also said those wanting to lower the age covered by the bill from 16 to 13 are “trying to pull a fast one.”

Copies of the two Seattle Times pieces are available upon request.

For more information, copies of the bills, or additional analysis write info@kidsintheknow.org,visit www.kidsintheknow.org, or call Michael Fleischer at 202/667-0901.