Who is protected
Children under 13 whose personal information is collected online by an operator covered by the Rule.
Report a children’s privacy concern
The Federal Trade Commission accepts reports about business practices, including suspected failures to protect children’s personal information.
What this law does
COPPA applies to operators of child-directed websites and online services that collect personal information from children under 13, and to general-audience services with actual knowledge that they are collecting such information from a child under 13.
Covered operators generally must provide clear notices, obtain verifiable parental consent before collecting, using, or disclosing personal information, honor parents’ continuing review and deletion rights, minimize data, maintain security, and follow written retention and deletion procedures.
The FTC’s 2025 Rule amendments strengthened limits on data monetization, security, retention, parental consent for certain third-party disclosures, and transparency. The Commission’s current compliance materials reflect those amendments.
Key dates
| Date | Milestone |
|---|---|
| October 21, 1998 | COPPA is enacted as part of Public Law 105-277. |
| April 21, 2000 | The original COPPA Rule takes effect. |
| July 1, 2013 | Major amendments addressing newer technology take effect. |
| April 22, 2025 | The FTC publishes additional final Rule amendments. |
In brief
Who has control
Parents and legal guardians receive notice, consent, access, deletion, and continuing-control rights.
Who must comply
Covered child-directed services and general-audience services with actual knowledge, including qualifying apps, games, connected toys, plug-ins, and ad networks.
Current federal law: COPPA places parents in control of personal information collected online from children under 13 and requires covered websites, apps, connected devices, and other online services to follow the FTC’s Children’s Privacy Rule.
Civil penalties for COPPA violations
A court can hold operators that violate the COPPA Rule liable for civil penalties of up to $53,088 per violation. The amount in a particular case depends on the law, the conduct, the number of violations, and enforcement or judicial determinations.