New York, NY August 20, 2001 The Children's Advertising Review Unit (CARU) of the Council of Better Business Bureaus, Inc. (CBBB) is pleased to announce that New York Power is in the process of modifying its Website, www.nypower.com, by modifying its already existing privacy policy to address children under 13 years of age in a more comprehensive manner, implementing an effective age screening process and requiring informed parental permission before allowing children under age 13 to disclose personal information.

CARU was prompted to review the New York Power Website after having seen a televised advertisement for the soccer team, which was broadcast during children's programming. Upon its review, the New York Power Website featured newsletters, message boards and contests as well as editorial content regarding player statistics, press releases regarding the team, and the schedule of upcoming games. During this routine monitoring, CARU observed that the Website was not in compliance with the CARU's Guidelines. CARU's original over-riding concerns with the Website were the collection of personal information from visitors without the requisite age screening and parental notice and consent mechanisms.

CARU is pleased with the modifications WUSA/New York Power has proposed to make to the NY Power Website.

CARU's inquiry was conducted under NAD/NARB/CARU Procedures for Voluntary Self-Regulation of National Advertising. Details of the inquiry, CARU's decision and the advertiser's response will be included in the next NAD/CARU Case Report. Members of the press who wish to see a copy of the decision now should email CARU.

###

The National Advertising Review Council (NARC) was formed in 1971 by the Association of National Advertisers, Inc. (ANA), the American Association of Advertising Agencies, Inc. (AAAA), the American Advertising Federation, Inc. (AAF), and the Council of Better Business Bureaus, Inc. (CBBB). Its purpose is to foster truth and accuracy in national advertising through voluntary self-regulation. NARC is the body that establishes the policies and procedures for the CBBB's National Advertising Division (NAD), The Children's Advertising Review Unit (CARU), and the National Advertising Review Board (NARB).

NAD and CARU are the investigative arms of the advertising industry's voluntary self-regulation program. Their casework results from competitive challenges from other advertisers, and also from self-monitoring traditional and new media, including the Internet. The National Advertising Review Board (NARB), the appeals body, is a peer group from which ad-hoc panels are selected to adjudicate those cases that are not resolved at the NAD/CARU level. This unique, self-regulatory system is funded entirely by the business community; CARU is financed by the children's advertising industry, while NAD/NARB's sole source of funding is derived from membership fees paid to the Council of Better Business Bureaus.