Kid's Page Online Privacy

This page, the Energy Information Administration's "Kid's Page," is directed especially to you, our young readers and students. We would like to tell you a bit about some of the rules that Government Web sites have to follow, specifically when they have users who are under 13 years old. It's probably boring to you, but you should know what this is all about - and also tell your parents if they would like to know. We are aware that your parents are very concerned about which Web sites you access, and we want your parents to know about the rules that we follow.
You will see the word "COPPA" further down in this text. It stands for "Children's Online Privacy Protection Act." Former President Clinton signed this Act into law on October 21, 1998; and, after careful research and deliberation, the Government announced (on April 21, 2000) specific rules that sites like the EIA Kid's Page must follow. These rules require us to give you - and your parents - the following information:

1. When you visit our site, we do not collect any personal information about you. (We never did, even before COPPA was established). Since we do not ever collect personal information, we do not need to tell you about other COPPA rules. However, if you or your parents would like to read more about COPPA, please go to the Federal Trade Commission's Web site at http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/edcams/kidzprivacy/.

2. Please note that our computer automatically knows the address of the computer you are using (which includes the name and domain from which you access our Web site), the date and time that we sent the pages to you, and the address of the Web site that referred you to us. This information is used by us only to evaluate how useful our Web pages are to users like you.

3. If you send us an e-mail, you identify yourself to us. This is your choice and that of your parents. For instance, if you send us an e-mail message asking us for help with your energy-related school project - or for help with locating certain information on our Web site, we will see your e-mail address. However, we guarantee you that we do not release such information to other people. We only respond to you.

4. Cookies. (We are talking about the kinds of cookies that you can't eat.) The EIA Kid's Page does not use cookies. But maybe you are interested in what a cookie is. If so, read on.

   A "cookie," in the computer world, is a small text file that a Web site can place in your computer's memory (or in its own). These "cookies" contain certain information about your Web activities - information that is used when you return to the site. For instance, let's say you really like music, and your parents give you permission to order some music CDs over the Internet. While you are ordering, the music CD Web site "sets" a cookie. Next time you visit this site, it looks at the cookie to remember what type of music you ordered the last time, so that it can guide you back to the pages and type of music that you were interested in.

5. If you follow any of the URLs (links or addresses to other Web sites) that we provide on page http://www.eia.doe.gov/kids/onlineresources.html (Online Energy Education Resources), you are leaving the Energy Information Administration's Web site and are subject to the privacy policy of the new site. We are not responsible for the contents of these linked sites and only provide these links as a convenience to you. This does not mean that we endorse those linked sites.

If you need more information about this issue, please contact Stacy Macintyre at stacy.macintyre@eia.doe.gov