Thank you for your response, Joe Malley. I don’t believe I have any children under the age of 13 on my email list, but you really can’t blame any website for any information a child might give to it. That child might just as easily tell a stranger on the street, or a caller on the phone. They might fill out a survey at a store – anything. Tagged may be a weasel of a website, but they’re not the only website that contains information on children 13 and under.

To put it simply, it is the parents’ responsibility to monitor what the child is doing and what kind of information the child may tell anyone, whether online, in writing, or over the phone.

I certainly value my privacy as much as the next person, but I know that I will be the only one who can protect my children from this. Your cause is a great one, and I am sure you’re appreciated very much for your passion, but I don’t want laws to take over my freedoms. There are so many precautions you can take to keep children safe on the internet.

However, mistakes happen, and 12 year olds sign up for websites where they don’t belong. This is where you come in. I am sure you will site COPPA in any lawsuit against Tagged or similar website. Once that information is out there, it’s out there. There’s nothing you can do to remove it from the internet. I would hope these parents learn from their mistakes and educate their children before someone else does.

I’m sorry I don’t have some magic bullet that will solve their problems. As long as their is ignorance, there will be lawsuits. I think your job is safe.

Once again, an interesting post with current internet privacy concerns, but with a troubling comment: “I am pretty sure I signed up for this website in the past”. Such remark exposes THE underlying concern for PARENTS OF MINOR CHILDREN UNDER THAT AGE OF 13 THAT BECAME INVOLVED WITH TAGGED, but will allow the blog’s writer the ability to clarify their comment,concerns and issues:

Does your email list contain email addresses of minor children below 13?

If so, did any of those minor children below 13 get contacted and provide personal information to tagged?

What advice would you provide to the parents of minor children below the age of 13 that were contacted, and did provide personal information to tagged, since neither the “homey the clown” nor huggie advice provides them relief?

What advice should the new york attorney general provide to the parents of minor children below the age of 13 that were contacted, and did provide personal information to tagged?

What is the advice: COPPA?

Your readers, especially PARENTS OF MINOR CHILDREN UNDER THAT AGE OF 13 THAT BECAME INVOLVED WITH TAGGED, are looking forward to your advice.

joe malley
malleylaw@gmail.com

ps: As for the “old” reference, “Mr” Malley, feel free to refer to me as “joe malley”, since the other “moniker” that has been provided me by bloggers as “PRIVACY CRUSADER”, seems slightly un-professional!

http://ivebeenmugged.typepad.com/my_weblog/2009/05/nebuad-closes.html

http://www.ecommercetimes.com/story/65173.html?wlc=1251045168