📍 Where you are in the curriculum: Week 27 of 32

You Have Rights Online

Did you know that you have real legal rights when you go online? Just like you have rights at school and in your community, there are actual laws that protect you on the internet. Let's learn about them!

What Are Digital Rights?

Digital rights are the rules and protections that give you control over your personal information and your experience online. These rights exist because lawmakers recognized that kids deserve to be safe on the internet — just like they deserve to be safe at school or in a park.

Your digital rights include:

• The right to privacy — Companies can't just collect whatever they want about you
• The right to be protected — There are extra rules for kids under 13
• The right to have your data deleted — You can ask companies to erase what they've collected
• The right to know — Companies must tell you what they're collecting and why

COPPA: Your #1 Protection 🛡️

COPPA stands for the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act. It's a U.S. law that was created specifically to protect kids like you.

Here's what COPPA says:

• Websites and apps must get your parent's permission before collecting your personal information if you're under 13
• Companies must explain clearly what information they collect and what they do with it
• Your parents can say no — and the company still has to let you use the basic parts of their service
• Your parents can ask for your data to be deleted at any time

💡 Think of it this way: COPPA is like a bodyguard for your personal information. It stands between you and companies that want your data.

What Counts as "Personal Information"?

Under COPPA, personal information includes:

• Your full name
• Your home address
• Your email address
• Your phone number
• Your school name
• Photos or videos of you
• Your location (GPS data)
• A username that includes your real name

The Right to Be Forgotten 🧹

There's a really important concept called the "right to be forgotten." This means you (or your parents) can ask a company to delete all the personal information they've collected about you.

This is especially powerful because once your data is deleted, the company can't use it anymore — not for ads, not for selling to other companies, not for anything.

Other Countries Protect Kids Too 🌍

The United States isn't the only country with these protections. In Europe, there's a law called the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) that gives people — including kids — even stronger privacy rights. Many countries around the world are creating similar laws.

The important thing to remember is: no matter where you live, you have a right to privacy online.

Key Takeaways

• You have real legal rights that protect you online
• COPPA protects kids under 13 from companies collecting their personal information without parental consent
• You have the right to have your data deleted
• Companies must tell you what they collect and get permission first
• These rights exist because you matter and your privacy matters