In a press release, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced that it has fined a mobile apps developer $50,000 for violating the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). The FTC alleges that the company, which has settled with the agency, collected and stored tens of thousands of e-mail addresses of children under the age of 13 without parental consent and allowed users to post messages and personal information on a message board. FTC Chairman Jon Leibowitz said, "Companies must give parents the opportunity to make smart choices when it comes to their children's sharing of information." Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) and Rep. Ed Markey (D-MA) have applauded the agency's action. Rockefeller added, "it is crucial that the FTC completes its revision of the COPPA Rule to account for changing technology..." 
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