Definition: The Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) is a federal law in the United States that went into effect in 2000. The law applies to websites and online services that are directed at children under the age of 13, or that have actual knowledge that they are collecting personal information from children under the age of 13.
Why It Matters: COPPA also requires that websites and online services that collect personal information from children provide parents with notice of their privacy practices, and it gives parents the right to review and delete their child’s personal information.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is responsible for enforcing COPPA, and it has the authority to impose fines and other penalties on businesses that violate the law. The law has been updated several times since it was first enacted, and it is considered to be an important tool for protecting the privacy of children online.
How It Works: COPPA requires that such websites and online services obtain parental consent before collecting, using, or disclosing personal information from children.
The law defines personal information to include a wide range of information, including a child’s name, address, email address, and other online contact information, as well as certain types of persistent identifiers that can be used to track a child’s online activities. This process often closely interacts with concepts like General Data Protection Regulation.
Related: General Data Protection Regulation, Personally identifiable information, California Consumer Privacy Act