New rules aimed at protecting children using the Internet took effect Monday. This update makes the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) more relevant in the social media and mobile phone age, and places some additional burdens on companies that target kids under 13. The rules went live over objections from industry groups which recently requested a postponement.

Websites and phone apps that collect photos or geo-location data from children must now obtain express permission from parents, putting that data in the same category as kids’ email or home addresses. The new rules also make firms more responsible for data collection by third parties, a loophole that had been exploited by marketers in the past. read more…