The Children and Teens’ Online Privacy Protection Act (S. 836) is a proposed law that aims to enhance online privacy protections for individuals under 17 years old. It expands the existing Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) by including teenagers aged 13 to 16, who were previously not covered. The bill requires online services to obtain verifiable consent before collecting personal information from these age groups. It also grants teens and their parents rights to access, delete, and correct their data. Additionally, the legislation imposes stricter data security and notice requirements on online service providers and mandates the development of a common consent mechanism overseen by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
Supporters of S. 836 commend the bill for extending privacy protections to teenagers, addressing a significant gap in existing legislation. They highlight that the bill empowers teens and their families with greater control over personal data, ensuring that online services are more transparent and accountable. Advocates also appreciate the emphasis on data security and the establishment of a standardized consent process, which could simplify compliance for businesses and enhance user trust.
Critics, including organizations like the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), express concerns that while the bill's intentions are commendable, certain provisions might have unintended consequences. They worry that the requirements for verifiable consent could be burdensome for both users and service providers, potentially leading to reduced access to online services for teens. Additionally, there are apprehensions that the bill's implementation could inadvertently compromise the privacy it seeks to protect by necessitating the collection of more personal information to verify ages and obtain consent.
Based on the data provided, there appears to be a low risk of conflict of interest between Senator Edward Markey's donors and the subject matter of the S. 836: Children and Teens’ Online Privacy Protection Act. The top donor industries for Senator Markey are Health Professionals, Retired, Securities & Investment, and Government, none of which directly overlap with the subject matter of the bill. However, there is lobbying activity in the bill's policy area from various groups, including AccentCare, Inc., National Education Association, and several financial institutions. The largest lobbying amount is $670,000 from the National Education Association. Despite this, there is no clear link between these lobbying activities and Senator Markey's top donors. Therefore, the risk of a potential conflict of interest is low.
Organizations that lobbied on issues related to this bill's policy area.
| Client | Lobbying Firm | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| NATIONAL EDUCATION ASSOCIATION | NATIONAL EDUCATION ASSOCIATION | $670,000 |
| ACCENTCARE, INC. | ACCENTCARE, INC. | $235,000 |
| ACCENTCARE, INC. | ACCENTCARE, INC. | $235,000 |
| TD BANK, NA | GEOFFREY P. GRAY | $60,000 |
| FEDERAL HOME LOAN BANK OF ATLANTA | GEOFFREY P. GRAY | $50,000 |
| CORELOGIC | GEOFFREY P. GRAY | $50,000 |
| WISCONSIN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION | WISCONSIN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION | $40,000 |
| RUSSELL INVESTMENTS GROUP, LLC | GEOFFREY P. GRAY | $30,000 |
| WELLS FARGO & COMPANY | GEOFFREY P. GRAY | $30,000 |
| RELX INC. | GEOFFREY P. GRAY | $30,000 |
| ELECTRONIC PAYMENTS COALITION | GEOFFREY P. GRAY | $30,000 |
| INTERNATIONAL SAFETY EQUIPMENT ASSOCIATION | INTERNATIONAL SAFETY EQUIPMENT ASSOCIATION | $30,000 |
| AMERICAN AIRLINES INC (FORMERLY REPORTED AS "AMERICAN AIRLINES") | GEOFFREY P. GRAY | $20,000 |
| JPMORGAN CHASE HOLDINGS LLC | GEOFFREY P. GRAY | undisclosed |
| TULE RIVER TRIBE | PATTERSON REAL BIRD & RASMUSSEN LLP | undisclosed |
Source: Senate Lobbying Disclosure Act (LDA) filings, 2026
Top industries funding Edward Markey, ranked by total contributions.
Source: OpenSecrets.org (Center for Responsive Politics)
