Legal Aspects of Online Privacy
Find out what laws protect you on the internet
Cindy Gonzalez
Nov 18 2020
What is out there to protect you:
If you have read through the website you are most probably concerned about your privacy. You are not alone, the majority of Americans are also concerned about being tracked and have taken some sort of action to protect their privacy. But another concern that people have is that there are currently no laws regulating online privacy. However, there are some current federal laws that do affect online privacy. It is good to be aware of them because you will know if you encounter something malicious while browsing through the internet and this also helps protect your information. Here is a list of them:
1. The Federal Trade Commission Act (FTC)[1914]: Outlaws unfair methods of competition and unfair acts or practices that affect commerce. This includes failing to comply privacy policies and failing to protect personal information.
2. Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA) [1986]: which protects you against unauthorized interception of electronic or oral communication.
3. Computer Fraud & Abuse Act (CFAA) [1986] – Criminalizes many forms of computer hacking or actions that do not meet the authorized permission. Including computer espionage, computer trespassing, committing fraud using a computer, or causing or threatening to cause damage to a computer, traffic in passwords, etc.
4. Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) [1998] – Protects children under the age of 13 from being illegally asked for information, the law states that parental consent should be given in order for information from a minor to be collected. It is illegal then to share information about minors. The law also requires websites to post a privacy policy, maintain a secure website, and ask for only the necessary information.
5. Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography and Marketing Act (CAN-SPAM Act) [2003] – this law bans false or misleading information and prohibits deceptive subject lines. This law also requires unsolicited information to be identified and be labeled as advertisements such as emails that were not solicited. These forms of ‘advertising’ should also give the receiver an option to “opt out”.
6.Financial Services Modernization Act (GLBA) [1999] – this law regulates the collection and use of personal information.
7.Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act (FACTA) [2003] – Prevents identity theft, improves resolution of consumer disputes, improves the accuracy of consumer records, and improves the use and access to credit information.
