California SB 568

College Confidential Community
1

I read in the LA Times that this bill was signed into law and was wondering how College Confidential will react to implementing this protection for minors.

[Bill</a> Text - SB-568 Privacy: Internet: minors.](<a href=“Bill Text -”>Bill Text - SB-568 Privacy: Internet: minors.)
The bill would, on and after January 1, 2015, require the operator of an Internet Web site, online service, online application, or mobile application to permit a minor, who is a registered user of the operator’s Internet Web site, online service, online application, or mobile application, to remove, or to request and obtain removal of, content or information posted on the operator’s Internet Web site, service, or application by the minor, unless the content or information was posted by a 3rd party, any other provision of state or federal law requires the operator or 3rd party to maintain the content or information, or the operator anonymizes the content or information. The bill would require the operator to provide notice to a minor that the minor may remove the content or information, as specified.

[Brown</a> OKs bill allowing minors to delete embarrassing Web posts - latimes.com](<a href=“http://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-brown-bills-20130924,0,2798285.story]Brown”>Brown OKs bill allowing minors to delete embarrassing Web posts)

2

The good thing is that we have a bit over a year to prepare for an impact from this. I personally have a few questions regarding the exact wording. It almost sounds like we can “anonymize” the content in lieu of a complete removal, but not sure I’m reading it correctly.

3

Does CC intend to comply?

4

Read the text of the bill carefully. This is intended for websites “directed to minors” (see first quote below) which is defined in (e) as quoted below. CC is intended for a more general audience.

quote An operator of an Internet Web site, online service, online application, or mobile application directed to minors or an operator of an Internet Web site, online service, online application, or mobile application that has actual knowledge that a minor is using its Internet Web site, online service, online application, or mobile application shall do all of the following:
(1) Permit a minor who is a registered user of the operator’s Internet Web site, online service, online application, or mobile application to remove or, if the operator prefers, to request and obtain removal of, content or information posted on the operator’s Internet Web site, online service, online application, or mobile application by the user.

[/quote]

quote “Internet Web site, online service, online application, or mobile application directed to minors” mean an Internet Web site, online service, online application, or mobile application, or a portion thereof, that is created for the purpose of reaching an audience that is predominately comprised of minors, and is not intended for a more general audience comprised of adults. Provided, however, that an Internet Web site, online service, online application, or mobile application, or a portion thereof, shall not be deemed to be directed at minors solely because it refers or links to an Internet Web site, online service, online application, or mobile application directed to minors by using information location tools, including a directory, index, reference, pointer, or hypertext link.

[/quote]

http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=201320140SB568

5

@DeniseC, any thoughts?

6

Yes. I find it hard to categorize CC as a website that does not cater to minors.

7

But there’s a broader audience, not just minors.

8

You can see that by the number of posts in the Parents Forum, Parents Cafe, and the Parents Taking Care of Parents thread - certainly not directed at minors! I think the bill is directed more against teen chatrooms and clearly teen-related forums.

I wonder if we could run a query to determine the percentage of our posters who are minors?

9

Just looking at the four forums that are directed to distinct demographics: High School Life, College Life, and Parents Forum, HSL and CL have about the same number of posts with PF over double that. Considering only HSL is targeted towards minors, I’d say that CC doesn’t really target minors per se. If anything, it targets families and moreso parents IMO.