COPPA Compliance & Online Research: A Parent's Guide

# COPPA Compliance & Online Research: A Parent's Guide

<cite index="1-25">The Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) is a U.S. federal law enforced by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to safeguard the privacy of children under 13.</cite> If your child participates in online surveys, market research, or other data collection activities, understanding COPPA is essential. Here's what parents need to know.

What COPPA Protects

<cite index="14-3">COPPA requires operators of commercial websites and online services directed to children under 13 or knowingly collecting personal information from children under 13 to notify parents of their information practices, obtain verifiable parental consent for the collection, use, or disclosure of children's personal information, let parents prevent further maintenance or use or future collection of their child's personal information, provide parents access to their child's personal information, not require a child to provide more personal information than is reasonably necessary to participate in an activity, and maintain reasonable procedures to protect the confidentiality, security, and integrity of the personal information.</cite>

<cite index="21-2">COPPA only applies to personal information collected online from children, including personal information about themselves, their parents, friends, or other persons.</cite> This includes names, email addresses, phone numbers, photos, videos, geolocation data, and persistent identifiers like cookies.

Parental Consent Requirements

<cite index="1-1">Researchers must obtain explicit consent from parents or guardians before collecting any personal information.</cite> <cite index="20-2,20-3">On January 16, 2025, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) finalized amendments to the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) Rule relating to the collection, use and disclosure of personal information about children under the age of 13. The Final Rule, which comes into effect 60 days after publication in the Federal Register, adds new requirements for online notices, certain third-party disclosures, parental consent, data retention and Safe Harbor programs.</cite>

<cite index="1-5">A clear and comprehensive privacy policy must outline how children's data will be collected, used, and protected.</cite> Parents should always review these policies before allowing their child to participate.

What Parents Can Do

<cite index="1-6,1-7">Only the information necessary for the study should be collected, and robust safeguards must be implemented to protect sensitive data from breaches or misuse.</cite> Parents have the right to:

Enforcement & Penalties

<cite index="1-8">Non-compliance carries serious consequences, including fines of up to $53,088 per violation and reputational harm.</cite> <cite index="26-23">The FTC has brought a number of actions against website operators for failing to comply with COPPA requirements, including actions against Google, TikTok, miHoYo, Girls' Life, American Pop Corn Company, Lisa Frank, Inc., Mrs.</cite> [and others].

Key Takeaway for Parents

<cite index="22-4">When it comes to the collection of personal information from children under 13, the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) puts parents in control.</cite> Before your child participates in any online research, survey, or data collection activity:

If you have concerns about COPPA compliance, <cite index="22-2">you can send questions or comments to the FTC staff's COPPA mailbox, CoppaHotLine@ftc.gov.</cite>

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