Consumers in the United States depend on the government to ensure the safety of products sold in the country. Given the volume and diversity of commodities available through various distribution channels across the nation, monitoring product safety is a monumental task. Product defects occur.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulates how online businesses collect, use, and distribute information from children on the Web. This article highlights the requirements of the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act. The importance of COPPA compliance is illustrated with lessons from the expensive mistakes of two website operators.