The FTC has proposed amendments to the COPPA Rule to enhance children's privacy protections. Key changes include requiring separate parental consent for targeted advertising, prohibiting conditioning access on data collection, limiting push notifications, strengthening data security and retention requirements, and restricting commercial use in educational technology. The proposal shifts responsibility from parents to companies to safeguard children's data.
The proposed rule would mandate written data security and retention programs, require public disclosure of retention policies, ban conditioning access on data collection and push notifications to encourage use, and require separate consent for targeted advertising and disclosures to third parties.
In-house legal teams should review vendor agreements (especially those involving data processing or analytics for children's services), customer-facing terms of service and privacy policies, data processing addendums, and educational technology contracts. Key clauses to examine include: consent mechanisms (ensuring separate, verifiable parental consent for any targeted advertising), data sharing and disclosure provisions (limiting sharing for monetization), data retention and deletion schedules (complying with stricter limits), security requirements (aligning with enhanced standards), push notification and in-app communication terms (requiring parental consent and limiting use), and any clauses that condition access to services on data collection or consent to advertising. Updates may be needed to remove conditioning language, implement granular consent flows for advertising, add explicit restrictions on commercial use in educational contexts, and strengthen data security and retention obligations.
Entity
Website and Online Service Operators Covered by COPPA
Also known as: COPPA-Covered Operators
Industry
TechnologyOfficial Press Release
https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2023/12/ftc-proposes-strengthening-childrens-privacy-rule-further-limit-companies-ability-monetize-childrens
16 cfr part 312 childrens online privacy protection rule npr
https://www.ftc.gov/legal-library/browse/federal-register-notices/16-cfr-part-312-childrens-online-privacy-protection-rule-nprm
Policy Statement of the Federal Trade Commission on Educatio
https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/ftc_gov/pdf/Policy%20Statement%20of%20the%20Federal%20Trade%20Commission%20on%20Education%20Technology.pdf
Federal Trade Commission Enforcement Page
https://www.ftc.gov/enforcement
"website and online service operators covered by COPPA"
"Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA)"
"section 312.5"
"addressing the evolving ways personal information is being collected, used, and disclosed, including to monetize children’s data"
The FTC referred a complaint against REPS & Company Inc. and company executives, alleging they bypassed ticket-issuer security controls and purchasing limits to acquire millions of tickets for resale. The complaint was filed by the Department of Justice, and the case will be decided by the court; the press release does not report a penalty or other remedy imposed.
The FTC sued Digital Forensics Corporation LLC and affiliated defendants, alleging they misled sextortion victims with promises of investigative and monitoring services that often were not provided, and used fake positive reviews. A federal court granted the FTC’s request to temporarily halt the defendants’ activities; the complaint remains for the court to decide.
The FTC alleged that Greenway Auto Group advertised vehicle prices thousands of dollars below the amounts consumers actually paid and used mailers falsely suggesting recipients had won cash prizes. Greenway agreed to an order requiring transparent pricing and prohibiting deceptive prize mailers and other misrepresentations; the press release does not state a monetary penalty.
The FTC sent warning letters to 24 large healthcare services companies, cautioning that incomplete, inaccurate, or untimely pricing information for scheduled medical care may be unfair or deceptive. The letters urge recipients to review their price-disclosure practices and take corrective action; they announce no fine or formal order.
$1.9M
The FTC alleged that Premier Franchising Group LLC and Franchise Fastlane LLC made deceptive and unsubstantiated claims about the Premier Martial Arts franchise opportunity and violated the Franchise Rule. The proposed settlements require the companies to pay a combined $1.85 million to compensate franchisees, prohibit certain misrepresentations, and require Franchise Rule compliance; certain franchisees may also cancel their agreements without penalty.
The FTC, Utah, and Nevada sued Lens.com Inc., alleging that it advertised artificially low contact lens prices while hiding mandatory checkout charges and misleading consumers about its AutoRefill subscription. The complaint seeks to stop the alleged practices; the court has not yet decided the case, and no penalty or remedy has been imposed.