Facebook: Federal online privacy rules would violate free speech rights

Facebook is warning the Federal Trade Commission that its proposed update to children's online privacy rules would infringe constitutionally protected free speech rights.

The company said that because the proposal would restrict the ability of children to "like," comment on or recommend websites, it would violate the First Amendment. "The Supreme Court has recognized on numerous occasions that teens are entitled to First Amendment protection," Facebook wrote in a filing with the FTC. "A government regulation that restricts teens’ ability to engage in protected speech—as the proposed COPPA Rule would do—raises issues under the First Amendment."