The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) finalized long-awaited amendments to the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Rule (COPPA) on January 17, marking the first significant update to the rule since 2013. These changes introduce stricter requirements for businesses collecting children’s data, aiming to curb the monetization of such data without explicit parental consent.
Key changes:
- Opt-in for ads: Parents must now provide explicit consent for targeted advertising, with behavioral advertising toward kids defaulted to “off.”
- Data limits: Companies can no longer retain children’s data indefinitely but must keep it only for a defined purpose.
- Broader protections: Biometric data, like facial recognition, is now covered under COPPA’s definition of personal information.
No edtech exception: The FTC opted against including provisions allowing schools to authorize educational technology providers to collect and use student data, citing potential conflicts with the U.S. Department of Education’s plans to update Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) regulations. [K-12 Dive]
Looking ahead: The updated rule takes effect March 18, with businesses required to comply within a year.
