- What is it? The Children's Online Privacy Protection Act
- When was it created? 1998
- Who/what does it apply to? This federal law applies to any online service or website that collects information from its users.
- Who/what does it protect? This law was created by the Federal Trade Commission to protect children under age 13 from having their information collected, sold, or marketed by online entities.
- How does this impact students? Online games, social media, and websites requiring registration will collect personal information that is later sold and/or marketed. It is illegal to collect this information from children under age 13. Many times, students sign up for sites such as Prezi and Animoto, or they create social media accounts not realizing those sites/apps are not for children under age 13. School staff should read user agreements/ privacy policies/ terms and conditions to determine if a site is acceptable for children under age 13.
- How does this impact parents/guardians? Parents/guardians have a right to consent to their child using the site. Typically, parents must accept a user guide or provide other evidence of consent. Parents should read user agreements/ privacy policies/ terms and conditions to determine if a site is acceptable for children under age 13.
- How is this communicated? To be in compliance with COPPA, websites must list in their user agreements/ privacy policies/ terms and conditions that it is or is not acceptable for children under 13. The site is responsible for maintaining compliance and acquiring user agreements. Violating COPPA carries a $40,000 fine per user.
- What if my rights have been violated? If you feel a violation of COPPA has occurred, contact your campus administrator, district superintendent, or school board. You can also contact the Federal Trade Commission.