A new proposal before the Virginia Legislature aims to protect the personal data of the state's children, but it doesn't say how online platforms should do that.
H.B. 1688 would amend Virginia's existing data privacy regulations to prohibit covered entities from registering minors for products or services without first obtaining "verifiable parental consent." Once the minor is "verified," his parents must give consent before his data is "collect[ed], us[ed], or disclos[ed]." The bill would also ban data controllers from knowingly processing minors' personal data for the purpose of targeted advertising, selling their data, or profiling underage users "in furtherance of decisions that produce legal or similarly significant effects concerning a consumer." In addition, it would redefine "child" from anyone 13 or younger to anyone 18 or younger.
