In a report to Congress released at the end of last month, the  Federal Trade Commission said the Children's Online Privacy  Protection Act and its COPPA rule have been effective in protecting  the privacy and security of young children online without unduly  burdening Web site operators. Congress enacted COPPA in 1998 to address privacy and security risks  created when children under 13  are online. COPPA imposes  requirements on operators of Web sites, online services directed to  children and other operators with knowledge that they have collected  personal information from children. The FTC rule implementing COPPA's  requirements became effective in April 2000. According to Implementing the Children's Online Privacy Protection  Act: A Report to Congress, COPPA appears to have had a positive  effect on Web site information practices, as children's Web sites  have developed innovative ways t