Children's Online Privacy Protection Act and 2025 Amended COPPA Rule
United States · 15 U.S.C. §§ 6501–6506; 16 C.F.R. Part 312
COPPA requires online services aimed at children under 13 to get verifiable parental consent before collecting kids' personal data. The 2025 rule update — fully in effect since April 22, 2026 — adds biometric identifiers (like face templates and voiceprints, which matter for AI tools), requires separate parental consent before sharing children's data for targeted advertising, and tightens data retention limits.
Technical detail
15 U.S.C. §§ 6501–6506 and the amended COPPA Rule (16 C.F.R. Part 312, effective June 23, 2025, full compliance Apr. 22, 2026) require verifiable parental consent, expand 'personal information' to include biometric identifiers, mandate separate consent for third-party disclosures for targeted advertising, and impose data retention and security requirements.
Who is protected: Children under 13 and their parents
Who must comply: Operators of child-directed websites/online services (including AI-powered services) and operators with actual knowledge they collect children's data
Key facts
| Jurisdiction | United States |
|---|---|
| Level | Federal |
| Status | In effect |
| Protection strength | Stronger protection |
| Effective date | 2025-06-23 |
| Enacted | 1998-10-21 |
| Citation | 15 U.S.C. §§ 6501–6506; 16 C.F.R. Part 312 |
| Enforced by | Federal Trade Commission; state attorneys general |
| Private right of action | No — agency enforcement only |
| Penalties | Civil penalties (currently $53,088 per violation) |
| Topics | children's online safety · consumer data privacy · biometric data · data retention · consumer protection · AI disclosure and transparency |
| Last verified | 2026-06-10 |
| Official source | Children's Online Privacy Protection Rule (Final Rule Amendments), Federal Register ↗ |
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- NAIC AI Evaluation Tool Pilot (12 states, 2026) · Proposed / pending
- FTC Proposed Policy Statement — AI Accuracy (July 2026) · Proposed / pending
Related children's online safety rules elsewhere
- PA v. Character.AI (Fake Psychiatrist Chatbot) · Blocked / in litigation
- RI AI Companion Self-Harm Safety (2026) · In effect
- Washington HB 2225 (AI chatbot disclosure, minor protections, crisis protocols) · Enacted (not yet in effect)
- Oregon SB 1546 (AI companion chatbot disclosure + private right of action) · Enacted (not yet in effect)
- Blanchester OH schools AI policy EDEC (Jun. 29, 2026) · In effect
- Portland Public Schools genAI pause (Jun. 23, 2026) · In effect
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