Editorial: Government should honor privacy law

Wednesday, Oct. 11, 2000 | 9:48 a.m.

A federal law went into effect earlier this year that requires commercial Internet sites to obtain parental consent before seeking personal information from children. This excellent legislation, though, didn't include government websites. In a bid to comply with the spirit of the new law, the Office of Management and Budget directed all federal agency websites to get parental permission also.

But the Associated Press reported last week that the White House and some federal agencies aren't honoring this commitment. The Environmental Protection Agency and NASA, for instance, obtain personal information from children who submit artwork, which is then posted on their websites with the child's name, age and hometown. When practical, government should abide by the same laws and rules it imposes on the private sector. This parental consent law should be no exception.

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