Yelp's $450,000 settlement with the FTC in
September should serve as an important reminder for all owners
and operators of websites or mobile apps – even if your site
is not for kids, you need to know and abidge by what the
Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), and the
related COPPA Rule, requires.
Yelp allows registered users to write reviews of local
businesses. A user can access Yelp through desktop and mobile
websites, as well as apps on both iOS and Android. Once registered,
a user can upload a profile picture and post photos to go along
with reviews – pictures of food with restaurant reviews, for
example. It is possible for users to "friend" one
another, send messages, or receive notifications when a particular
user posts a review. The mobile apps also utilize GPS features to
give location-based search results. Yelp's privacy policy notes
that Yelp "is intended for general audiences and is not
directed to children under 13."
