The recycling program is already struggling with lagging public compliance and costly collection practices.

Assembly Bill 774 was introduced to prevent hospital overcharging and other abusive collection practices.

It's not unreasonable to suspect similar data collection practices are also common on other mobile platforms.

When users click on the icon, they are able to read a "clear" disclosure statement about the company's data collection practices.

Many say they are reviewing their billing and collection practices.

Robert B. Remar, a member of the board and its smaller executive committee, said he did not think data collection practices had changed markedly.

KidsCom now sends an e-mail to parents when children register at the site, providing notice of its collection practices.

Recently, he said, the state hired an accounting concern to prepare a report on collection practices and to suggest improvements.

Big businesses had also taken advantage of lax collection practices.

The organization (www.acorn.org) has helped low- and middle-income people deal with questionable lending and collection practices.