FTC chief: Kids' Internet privacy rules done by year's end

Federal Trade Commission Chairman Jon Leibowitz said the agency will likely finish a long-awaited update to rules protecting children's online privacy by the end of the year.

The original rules were developed when most computers were large beige boxes sitting under office desks instead of smartphones slung into backpacks and permeating most aspects of daily life. Chairman Leibowitz said the agency was moving forward on two issues: self-regulatory "do not track" guidance, and regulations to update the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act, or COPPA. The law requires that website and online service operators obtain verifiable consent from parents before collecting information about children. Under revised rules, the FTC would make websites, mobile apps and data brokers all responsible for getting parental consent before collecting data about children aged 12 and younger. Currently it is unclear who has the responsibility.