A letter from the Federal Trade Commission dated Nov. 24 rejected allegations from advocacy groups that said the online retailer violated the law by targeting its toy store at children under 13 and permitting them to post product reviews without a parent's permission.
The FTC letter, signed by associate director Mary Engle, concludes that the toy site is "not directed to children" and no government action is necessary.
Under a 1998 law called the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act, it is unlawful for Web sites "directed to children" to collect personal information from minors under 13 without an adult's consent.
"We think they simply misapplied the law," said Chris Hoofnagle, associate director of the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC). "A Web site can have more than one purpose, but we argued that (the toy site) was primarily directed at children."
Amazon's toy store, which is the online storefront for partner Toys "R" Us, lists toys by categories, ages and brands. It also features commentary directed at older customers, such as a baby registry for expectant parents, a store locator and a solicitation to "Make a donation and make a child smile!"
SponsoredWhite Papers, Webcasts, and Downloads
- Five Steps to Determine When to Virtualize YourServers VMware Server virtualization isn't just for big companies. Entry-level ... Download Now
- Open Standards Technologies Provide the Ingredients for Delivering Security Across the Papa Gino's Enterprise Dell Papa Gino's Holdings Corporation founded by the entrepreneur operates one ... Download Now
- Email Security and Archiving - Clearer in the Cloud Google The time is NOW for businesses and organizations of all sizes to implement ... Download Now










