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Think of the Children

By Kelly Faircloth 8/22/12 10:00am

Think of the Children

Just hanging out, maybe collecting some emails. (Photo: flickr.com/paul_everett82

McDonald’s Accused of Shadily Marketing to Kids via Online Games

Ronald McDonald probably isn’t the first person who comes to mind when parents think “internet dangers,” but you probably don’t want your kids getting unsolicited emails about the glories of french fries, either.

Well, bad news: The New York Times reports that several advocacy organizations have filed a complaint with the FTC, alleging that Micky D’s and four other companies–Viacom, General Mills, Subway and Turner–are exploiting a legal loophole in their online marketing to kids.

In true corporate fashion, however, these companies aren’t doing anything so straightforward as simply asking for 9-year-olds’ email addresses. The Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act in fact requires sites to get parents’ “verifiable consent”  before they can collect the personal info of kids younger than 13. Read More

By Nitasha Tiku 4/27/12 9:27am

Think of the Children

Mr. Klein sans cabin.

Zach Klein On His New Startup: DIY, A Community and App For Kids Who Make

The last time we checked in on Vimeo cofounder Zach Klein, the self-described “proselytizer of country living“ was adding listings to his upstate New York real estate blog and tending to his Cabin Porn tumblr. The New York native–who also cofounded Svpply and BustedTees, is a partner in Founder Collective, and has invested in Kickstarter–still has East Coast ties in the form of a dreamy cabin called Beaver Brook that he built using a salvaged barn frame.

But yesterday, Mr. Klein finally revealed what he’s been up to since moving to San Francisco last fall: an online community and app for kids called DIY. It’s a zeitgeisty idea that taps into both the Maker movement and the fact that children find themselves immersed in technology at a younger age. (Yes, a rugrat who grew up playing with iPads will soon make you feel obsolete.) Read More