1. Debate the pros and cons of allowing these companies to target children. Are these efforts socially responsible behavior?
2. Review the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act at www .coppa.org/. Explain how eBay and Facebook can target this market and still comply with this act.
The almost 24 percent of the U.S. population under 18 years old wields billions of dollars in purchasing power. Companies such as eBay and Facebook want to capitalize on those dollars-legitimately, that is. EBay is exploring ways to allow consumers under 18 years old to set up legitimate accounts to buy and sell goods. Children already trade on the site, either through their parents' accounts or through accounts set up after they lie about their ages. Similarly, even though children under 13 are not allowed to set up Facebook accounts, about 7.5 million of them have accounts, and nearly 5 million account holders are under 10 years old. That translates to almost 20 percent of U.S. 10-year-olds and 70 percent of 13-year-olds active on Facebook.
Many of these accounts were set up with parental knowledge and assistance. Both eBay and Facebook say that protections will be put in place on children's account and that parents will be able to monitor to their children's accounts.