COPPA
The Children's Online Privacy Protection Act — a US federal law that restricts the collection of personal data from children under 13.
What COPPA means
COPPA (Children's Online Privacy Protection Act) is a US federal law that imposes strict requirements on websites, apps, and online services directed at children under 13 or that knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. Key requirements include verifiable parental consent before collecting children's data, clear privacy policies, data minimization, and data security. For advertisers, COPPA effectively prohibits behavioral targeting of children under 13 and restricts what data can be collected through ads shown to children. The FTC enforces COPPA with substantial penalties — fines have exceeded $170 million in notable cases (YouTube/Google). All major ad platforms require compliance with COPPA and provide tools to restrict ad delivery to children's content.
Related terms
Children's Advertising
Advertising directed at or likely to reach children, subject to strict regulations including COPPA, GDPR-K, and platform-specific protections.
Age-Gating
Mechanisms that restrict ad targeting or content access based on user age, required for age-restricted products and services.
FTC
The Federal Trade Commission — the primary US federal agency enforcing truth-in-advertising laws and consumer protection regulations.
GDPR
The General Data Protection Regulation — the EU's comprehensive data protection law governing how personal data is collected, processed, and stored.