Children's Online Privacy Protection Act

Definition

The Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) is a federal law in the United States that regulates how online services and websites can collect, use, and disclose personal information from children under the age of 13. It aims to give parents control over the information gathered about their children online and ensure that such information is handled responsibly and securely.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. COPPA applies to commercial websites and online services that are directed at children under 13 or that have actual knowledge that they are collecting personal information from children under 13.
2. Online services covered by COPPA must provide clear and comprehensive notice to parents about their information collection, use, and disclosure practices.
3. COPPA requires online services to obtain verifiable parental consent before collecting, using, or disclosing personal information from children under 13.
4. COPPA mandates that online services must allow parents to review the personal information collected from their children and to refuse further collection or use of such information.
5. Violations of COPPA can result in significant civil penalties, as well as potential enforcement actions by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

Review Questions

• Explain how the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) aims to protect children's privacy online.
  • The Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) is designed to protect the privacy of children under the age of 13 who use the internet. It requires online services and websites that are directed at children or have actual knowledge that they are collecting personal information from children under 13 to obtain verifiable parental consent before collecting, using, or disclosing such information. COPPA also mandates that these online services provide clear and comprehensive notice to parents about their information collection, use, and disclosure practices, and allow parents to review and refuse further collection or use of their children's personal information. The goal of COPPA is to give parents greater control over the information gathered about their children online and ensure that it is handled responsibly and securely.
• Analyze the key requirements and provisions of the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) that aim to protect children's online privacy.
  • The key requirements and provisions of the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) that aim to protect children's online privacy include: 1) Obtaining verifiable parental consent before collecting personal information from children under 13; 2) Providing clear and comprehensive notice to parents about the online service's information collection, use, and disclosure practices; 3) Allowing parents to review the personal information collected from their children and refuse further collection or use of such information; 4) Implementing reasonable procedures to protect the confidentiality, security, and integrity of personal information collected from children; and 5) Imposing civil penalties and potential enforcement actions by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) for violations of COPPA. These provisions work together to give parents greater control over the personal information gathered about their children online and ensure that it is handled responsibly by online services and websites.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) in protecting children's privacy in the digital age, and identify potential challenges or limitations of the law.
  • The Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) has been generally effective in providing a framework to protect children's privacy online, but it also faces some challenges and limitations in the digital age. On the positive side, COPPA has succeeded in requiring online services to obtain parental consent before collecting personal information from children under 13, and it has given parents more control over their children's data. However, the rapid evolution of digital technologies, the proliferation of connected devices, and the increasing complexity of data collection and targeted advertising have posed challenges for COPPA's implementation and enforcement. Concerns have been raised about the ability of COPPA to keep pace with emerging privacy threats, such as the collection of location data, the use of persistent identifiers, and the tracking of children's online activities across multiple platforms. Additionally, the limited scope of COPPA, which only applies to children under 13, may leave older minors vulnerable to privacy risks. Addressing these challenges and updating COPPA to better protect children's privacy in the digital age will be an ongoing effort for policymakers, regulators, and stakeholders.

Related terms

Personal Information: Any information that can be used to identify an individual, either alone or in combination with other information, such as name, address, phone number, email address, or location data.

Parental Consent: The requirement for online services to obtain verifiable consent from a parent or guardian before collecting personal information from children under 13.

Privacy Policy: A statement that discloses how an organization collects, uses, and manages the personal information of its users, including information about children.