How a website collecting children’s information verifies a parental consent e-mail is really sent by parent?

Sina D: How a website collecting children’s information verifies a parental consent e-mail is really sent by parent?
Acording to “The Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998” a commercial website requires “verifiable parental consent” before collecting information like e-mail addresses from children. For the internal use of the website, this means getting an e-mail from the parent. The question is how an e-mail can be verified that is realy sent by the parents.

Answers and Views:

Answer by Brighter
Usually a website will say “Enter your parent/guardian’s email address here” and once that form is submitted, an email is sent to that email address. That email asks for confirmation.

But there really is no way of assuring a child enter their parents email, or another one of their own.

Answer by derrickisonline
There is no real way to verify. This is one of the BS rules/laws that help but not really. Basically if the website can prove they made a reasonable effort to ensure….

“verifiable parental consent” before collecting information like e-mail addresses from children. For the internal use of the website, this means getting an e-mail from the parent. The question is how an e-mail can be verified that is realy sent by the parents.”

then they are in the clear.

Answer by Karen H
They really can’t, they just assume that since that e-mail address is registered to a legal adult that that adult is the child’s parent. My kid’s snuck into my mail and sent their own parental consent until I changed the password.

Answer by ian
Firstly this is a US law, and as such any non US websites are not obliged to comply.

Secondly I would not personally consider emails as verifiable parental consent. If the act allows this then I think whoever wrote it needs a slap on the bonce.