Hudson Kingston Joins CDD as Legal Director/Will Oversee COPPA and Teen Privacy and Digital Marketing Initiatives

Center for Digital Democracy Adds Legal Director Focusing on Youth Privacy and Digital Marketing Issues CDD Begins Industry Review to ensure new COPPA Rules are Enforced Washington, DC: Hudson Kingston has joined the Center for Digital Democracy (CDD) as its new Legal Director. Mr. Kingston will oversee CDD’s regulatory and industry initiatives to ensure that the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) rules, recently updated by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), protect children effectively. Under the new regulations, which went into effect in July 2013, a child’s privacy is better protected when they use mobile devices, social media, “Apps,” or online games. There are also new safeguards regulating marketing practices such as online behavioral targeting. CDD spearheaded a coalition of consumer, child advocacy, and public health groups during a four-year campaign to press the FTC to bring its COPPA rules up to date. “Hudson’s strong commitment to consumer protection and public health will help CDD represent the interests of young people in the digital era,” said executive director Jeff Chester. With a background in human rights and environmental law, Mr. Kingston worked on consumer protection issues at the Center for Food Safety, and also focused on national environmental policy at the White House Council on Environmental Quality. Hudson earned his J.D. from the University of Iowa and LL.M. degrees from both New York University and the National University of Singapore. He is a member of the New York and D.C. bars as well as the Federal District for D.C. Kingston has also worked on legal projects in Laos and India. “Now that the revised COPPA rules are in force, CDD intends to closely monitor the children’s online marketplace to help promote compliance,” explained Chester. “We are also stepping up our examination of data collection and interactive marketing practices targeting teens. Hudson will be working closely with the FTC and other policymakers and will be spearheading our regulatory efforts,” he noted. “Parents, as well as most Americans, believe children should be able to use the Internet without being surreptitiously tracked,” said Hudson. “I look forward to leading CDD’s expanded efforts on COPPA and protecting minors from privacy and health threats.” CDD works to protect the interests of consumers in the digital era, including on issues related to public health, children and youth, and financial services.