WASHINGTON – Today, Senators Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) and Ed Markey (D-Mass.) introduced legislation to update the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), a law originally passed in 1998. The update would prohibit online targeted advertising toward children and increase transparency and parental control over the online collection of children’s personal information.

In response, Terry Schilling, executive director of American Principles Project, released the following statement praising the effort:

“We are pleased to see both sides coming together to address such an important issue. Technology has worked wonders in our modern society, and families can reap the benefits of the connectedness and endless knowledge that the internet brings to us. But as a parent myself, I’m torn between giving my children access to all of these good aspects of technology when it’s so hard to protect them from all of the threats to their privacy and safety.

“We applaud Senators Markey and Hawley for taking this first step towards helping parents walk this balancing act more easily. The original Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act was enacted with good intent, but the online landscape and children’s access to it has changed rapidly in the past two decades.

“Last year, American Principles Project released its Contract with American Families — a set of policy planks mapping out a way to empower families as they navigate this modern economy and culture. In keeping with this goal, this update to COPPA will enable parents to have more knowledge and control over how their children’s online activity is being monitored and used, and it gives parents more power to be proactive as we help our children grow into happy and healthy adults.”

To schedule an interview with Terry Schilling, contact Paul Dupont at (o) 202-503-2010 or pdupont@americanprinciplesproject.org.