The Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) is a federal law that regulates the online
collection and use of personal information from children under 13 years of age. COPPA requires
operators of websites or online services that are directed to children, or that knowingly collect
personal information from children, to obtain verifiable parental consent before collecting, using, or
disclosing such information. Verifiable parental consent means any reasonable effort (taking into
consideration available technology) to ensure that before personal information is collected from a
child, the child’s parent receives notice of the operator’s information practices and consents to those
practices. COPPA also imposes other obligations on operators, such as providing parents with access
to their children’s information, maintaining reasonable security measures, and limiting data
retention. Reference: COPPA, IAPP CIPP/US Study Guide, Chapter 2, Section 2.3.1
