Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA)

The Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) is a law, enforced by the Federal Trade Commission, designed to protect the personal information of children under age 13 while they use the Internet. It requires websites and online services to obtain verifiable parental consent prior to collecting, using, or disclosing personal information from children.

COPPA applies to websites and online services that are directed toward children under 13, and websites and online services that knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. It establishes rules for how websites must obtain verifiable parental consent, how they must protect the privacy of personal information collected from children, and how they must manage any data received from children.

The two main regulations for COPPA are “Verifiable Parental Consent” and “Secure Data Protection”. The Verifiable Parental Consent requires appropriate verifiable parental consent prior to collecting, using, or disclosing any personal information from children. The Secure Data Protection requires that personal information collected be stored securely and require reasonable measures for keeping such information secure.

COPPA requires websites and online services to post a clear and understandable privacy policy that describes how they use collected information, and to provide direct notice to parents about their privacy practices. The COPPA rules also require that websites provide a way for parents to review their child’s personal information, correct inaccuracies, and delete information if appropriate.

COPPA is an important law that is designed to protect the personal information of children under the age of 13 while using the Internet. It is especially important for those who operate websites and online services that are directed toward children or that knowingly collect personal information from children. It is important for website owners to be aware of and understand the requirements of COPPA, as failing to comply with COPPA may result in significant fines.