Children's Online Privacy Protection Act

For the never-enacted law passed in 1998, see Child Online Protection Act. For the proposed anti-pornography exposure law, see Children's Internet Protection Act.
"COPPA" redirects here. For the California privacy act, see CalOPPA. For the association of disability rights attorneys and parents, see COPAA. For other uses, see Coppa.
Children's Online Privacy Protection Act
Great Seal of the United States
Acronyms (colloquial)COPPA
Enacted bythe 105th United States Congress
EffectiveApril 21, 2000; 24 years ago (2000-04-21)
Citations
Public law105-277
Legislative history
Youth rights
Activities
Theory / concepts
Issues
Organizations
People
Related

The Children's Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998 (COPPA) is a United States federal law, located at 15 U.S.C. §§ 6501–6506 (Pub. L. 105–277 (text) (PDF), 112 Stat. 2681-728, enacted October 21, 1998).

The act, effective April 21, 2000, applies to the online collection of personal information by persons or entities under U.S. jurisdiction about children under 13 years of age, including children outside the U.S. if the website or service is U.S.-based.[1] It details what a website operator must include in a privacy policy, when and how to seek verifiable consent from a parent or guardian, and what responsibilities an operator has to protect children's privacy and safety online, including restrictions on the marketing of those under 13.[2]

Although children under 13 can legally give out personal information with their parents' permission, many websites—particularly social media sites, but also other sites that collect most personal info—disallow children under 13 from using their services altogether due to the cost and work involved in complying with the law.[3][4][5]

An updated version of COPPA, the Children and Teens' Online Privacy Protection Act, informally called COPPA 2.0, has been introduced in the 118th Congress in 2023.[6] COPPA 2.0 was again introduced in Congress on April 9, 2024 by representatives Tim Walberg and Kathy Castor.[7] If adopted as proposed, it would effectively raise the age covered by COPPA from 13 to 16 years, prohibit targeted advertising to children and teens, and make certain other changes to COPPA.[8]

  1. ^ "Complying with COPPA: Frequently Asked Questions". FTC Business Center. Federal Trade Commission. March 20, 2015. Retrieved August 6, 2019. As a related matter, U.S.-based sites and services that collect information from foreign children also are subject to COPPA.
  2. ^ "Complying with COPPA: Frequently Asked Questions". FTC Business Center. Federal Trade Commission. March 20, 2015. Retrieved August 6, 2019.
  3. ^ "What age should my kids be before I let them use Instagram, Facebook, and other social media services?". Common Sense Media. Common Sense Media, Inc. Archived from the original on August 6, 2018. Retrieved April 29, 2023.
  4. ^ Bilton, N. (February 18, 2015). "Letting Your Kids Play in the Social Media Sandbox". The New York Times. Archived from the original on February 22, 2015. Retrieved July 21, 2019.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  5. ^ Rochman, B. (May 24, 2011). "Should Kids Under 13 Be on Facebook?". Time. Time, Inc. Retrieved June 22, 2016.
  6. ^ Fingas, Jon (May 2, 2023). "Senators reintroduce COPPA 2.0 bill to tighten child safety online". Engadget. Retrieved February 18, 2024.
  7. ^ "Walberg, Castor Introduce Comprehensive Children's Privacy Bill". Congressman Tim Walberg, Representing the 5th District of Michigan. April 9, 2024. Retrieved July 4, 2024.
  8. ^ "Representatives Walberg and Castor Announce Companion Bill to COPPA 2.0". Hunton Andrews Kurth. Retrieved July 4, 2024.