The Children's Online Privacy Protection Act
Purpose of the law
Designed to protect minors who use the Internet, the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) governs how websites and online services may interact with children under 13 years of age. COPPA restricts the online collection of personal information from these young Internet users and creates certain statutory rights for their parents. Effective April 21, 2000, the law grants regulatory and enforcement authority to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
Who Must Comply
Businesses, groups, and individuals that collect information from children must comply with COPPA. Two broad categories exist:
Operators of commercial websites and online services "directed to children" that collect personal information from children
Operators of general audience websites that have actual knowledge that the site collects personal information from children
The FTC weighs several factors in determining whether a site is directed to children:
Subject matter
Visual or audio content
The age of models on the site
Language
Whether advertising on the site is directed to children
Information regarding the age of the actual or intended audience
Whether a site uses animated characters or other child-oriented features
The FTC determines whether someone is a website operator by considering the following:
Ownership and control of the information.
Payment for the collection and maintenance of information
Pre-existing contractual relationships
What role the website plays in collecting or maintaining information
Basic Compliance Provisions
Under COPPA, website and online service operators must meet three main forms of compliance:
Post their privacy policy
Send a direct notice to parents and obtain parental consent before collecting information from children
Obtain new consent when the site's information practices change in a material way
Privacy Policy
Operators must post a link to their privacy policy on the home page of the website or online service, as well as at each point where the site collects personal information from children. The policy must be clear and prominent and must specify the following:
Types of personal information collected, such as name, home address, email address, or hobbies
How the site will use the information
Whether the information is given to advertisers or third parties
A person who may be contacted at the site
Obtaining Parental Consent
In many cases, a special notice seeking parental consent must be sent to the child's parents. The operator must notify a parent:
That it wishes to collect personal information from the child
That the parent's consent is required for the collection, use, and disclosure of the personal information
How the parent can provide consent
The notice may be sent by e-mail or regular postal mail. Replies via e-mail are acceptable when the operator merely wishes to collect personal information from the child. When answers are delayed, operators may seek confirmation of consent by letter or telephone call.
Consent requirements are more strict when the operator wants to disclose a child's personal information to a third party or make the information publicly available. In such cases, the FTC requires a more reliable form of consent. Forms of consent include:
A signed form from the parent via postal mail or fax
Acceptance and verification of a credit card number
Acceptance of calls from parents through a toll-free number
E-mail accompanied by a so-called digital signature
Whenever operators make material changes to their information policies, they must send a new notice and request for consent to parents.
Exceptions Not Requiring Consent
Consent is not required when obtaining a child's e-mail address for several limited purposes:
Responding to a one-time request from the child
Providing notice to the parent
Ensuring the safety of the child or the site
Sending a newsletter of other information regularly provided parents are notified and allowed to refuse the arrangement
Parental Rights
COPPA creates two kinds of statutory rights for parents:
Parents may compel a site to disclose both general and specific kinds of personal information they collect online from children
Parents may revoke their consent at any time, refuse to allow further use of the child's information, and direct the operator to delete the information
Verifying Parental Identity
In order to protect children, operators must take reasonable steps to verify the parent's identity before divulging personal information:
A signed form from the parent via postal mail or fax
Acceptance and verification of a credit card number
Acceptance of calls from parents through a toll-free number
E-mail accompanied by a so-called digital signature or a PIN number or password
The law provides protection from liability under federal and state law for inadvertent disclosures of a child's information to someone who purports to be a parent.
Safe Harbors
Under COPPA, industry groups and others can create self-regulatory programs to meet compliance with the law. These so-called safe harbors require approval from the FTC.
Violations
Violations FTC rules for COPPA are treated as unfair or deceptive trade practices, punishable under the Federal Trade Commission Act.
I bet you most of the "immature" members are actually older than 13. 
