Mark Pryor

We thank this subcommittee for its leadership and call on Congress to take these actions to enhance child online safety.

I urge the Committee to oversee the work of the FTC in this area, and to conduct additional hearings.

Nothing. I am enormously alarmed by the rise in criminal behavior targeting children online, from 'cyber-bullying' to adult predators.

I guess I would encourage FTC, as you're looking at this, to think through all the applications

Congress can, however, assist Facebook and companies like us in advancing online child and teen safety.

I believe the FTC should also conduct independent research to document how young people's data is being collected.

We would encourage the Committee to continue to look at the privacy issue more generally, maybe not in the framework of COPPA.

Senator Pryor. Right.

Yes, I'd like to see that.

Senator Pryor. And so, let me ask a follow-up there.

I think it would hamper kids around our country, and set them back, vis-a-vis children of the same age in other countries, if we were able--if we were to prevent them from having access to these sites or services.

Does your company have policies that go beyond COPPA?

And privacy doesn't----

But, I--what I would be calling for, and what I do call for, is for the government to play a role in ensuring that all of these social networks, and all of the platforms, mobile and otherwise, that young people are engaged in, are…

So, your view is, leave the statute as is, but beef up the enforcement?

Knowing what you know now, in terms of the state of technology, but also what FTC has to deal with, with the statute, and looking at the statute, would you recommend that the Senate revisit some of those definitions in the underlying law…

But in re-examining COPPA, lawmakers should tread carefully.

I think it would be helpful for parents--and you may already be doing this, I'm just not aware of it with this product--but, I think it would be helpful for parents if you guys could take the offensive and aggressively, periodically, from…

Senator Pryor. Has anybody looked at that, that we know of?

I would hope that Microsoft and other companies would think about ways to be a little more aggressive in letting people know.

You give them aggregate information about your users, but not specific information?

I know some companies may differ with me on this, but my impression is that there's really not a way that exists, yet, to truly get rock-solid age verification.

Let me ask about your--you call it Windows Live Family Safety?

Congress need not amend COPPA at this time.

Protecting our children's online privacy and safety is a critical issue whose importance cannot be overstated.