Barbara, COPPA went into affect last year. Prior to its becoming effective, we consulted with our attorney who specializes in "electronic issues". We issue the following guidance to our webmasters and listmasters. Dave Simon Sierra Club -------------------- Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) Compliance The Children's Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998 and the FTC's implementing regulations (collectively, "COPPA") took effect on April 21, 2000. COPPA is intended to protect the privacy of children under the age of 13, primarily in their activities on sites (websites, lists, chats, etc) that are targeted at children. If an operator of any site learns that a user is under 13, the operator must obtain parental permission before collecting or disclosing any personal information about the child. Without permission, an operator must remove all personal information (name, address, phone, email address) about the child from the site and the operator's archives. Only sites (or portions of sites) which are targeted at children are automatically governed by COPPA. With respect to other "general audience" sites, COPPA is invoked only if the operators have actual knowledge that the site is collecting or disclosing personal information from a child. Impact on Club Websites Where our website has content contributed by children under 13 or has forms, guestbooks, or other functions in which children could identify themselves and provide personal information, the entity webmaster must obtain, concurrent with a child's participation, a letter of parental permission or the child's personal information must be promptly deleted. The parental permission letter should say specifically, "My child, ______, has my permission to participate on Sierra Club web sites." This permission must be forwarded to the Sierra Club (attention Webmaster, 85 Second St, 2nd Floor, San Francisco, CA 94105)." Impact on Club Email Lists If a list participant identifies his/herself as a child under 13, please notify [log in to unmask] The listmaster will attempt to obtain parental permission so that the child can continue to participate in the email list. In the meantime, the child will be removed from the email list. The listmaster will also send the following message to the child: "Thank you for your interest in the Sierra Club and our efforts to protect the environment. Due to the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998, your continued participation on the email list to which you were subscribed requires the permission of your parents. This letter should say specifically, "My child, ______, has my permission to participate on Sierra Club websites and email lists." Please have your parents send the letter to the Sierra Club (attention Email Lists, 85 Second St, 2nd Floor, San Francisco, CA 94105). When we receive and confirm your parent's permission letter, we will add you back to the email list." If it turns out that the additional workload of verifying parental permission is significant, this policy may be revised.