The Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) is designed to safeguard children's privacy online by regulating the collection of personal information from children under 13. COPPA was passed by Congress in October 1998 and went into effect on April 21, 2000.

The primary goal of the Act and the Rule is to place parents in control over what information is collected from their children online. And as parents, it is important to be involved in children's online activities and educate them about playing it safe.

Many resources are available to help parents and educators when it comes to children's privacy. We encourage you to check out the sites below:

• The BBB's Children's Advertising Review Unit (CARU). The Children's Advertising Review Unit (CARU) of the Council of Better Business Bureaus at www.caru.org reviews advertising and promotional material directed at children in all media.

  CARU's basic activities are the review and evaluation of child-directed advertising in all media, and online privacy practices as they affect children. When these are found to be misleading, inaccurate, or inconsistent with CARU's Self-Regulatory Guidelines for Children's Advertising, CARU seeks change through the voluntary cooperation of advertisers. CARU has also been at the forefront of children's issues in the interactive world.

  CARU's Guidelines contain a section that highlights issues, including children's privacy, that are unique to the Internet and online sites directed at children age 12 and under. CARU's Self-Regulatory Guidelines are deliberately subjective, going beyond the issues of truthfulness and accuracy to take into account the uniquely impressionable and vulnerable child audience.

• Center for Media Education. The Center for Media Education is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to creating a quality electronic media culture for children and youth, their families and the community. Check out www.KidsPrivacy.org to find out what you need to know to protect your child's privacy online.

• Federal Trade Commission. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has set up a special Web page designed for children, parents, businesses, and educators at www.ftc.gov/kidzprivacy. In addition to providing compliance materials for businesses and parents, this Web page features online safety tips for children and other useful education resources about COPPA and related rules and online privacy in general. Education materials on this Web site are also available free by calling the FTC's Consumer Response Center's toll free number at (877) FTC-HELP. The FTC also has an online form to file complaints or request information on the Web site.

• GetNetWise.org. GetNetWise is a public service brought to you by Internet industry corporations and public interest organizations to help ensure that families have safe, constructive, and educational or entertaining online experiences. The GetNetWise coalition wants Internet users to be just "one click away" from the resources they need to make informed decisions about their family's use of the Internet.

• National Consumers League. For more tips on protecting your child's privacy, check out "E-ssentials for Children Online" published by the National Consumer League and Dell.