COPPA
The Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) is a U.S. federal law designed to protect the privacy of children under the age of 13 when they use websites and online services.
How does this affect your promotion?
COPPA applies if your promotion is:
- Directed to children under 13, or
- You have actual knowledge that you are collecting personal information from children under 13
If either applies, you must comply with COPPA requirements.
What does COPPA require?
If your promotion falls under COPPA, you must:
- Post a clear and comprehensive privacy policy outlining your data collection practices
- Provide direct notice to parents about how their child’s information will be used
- Obtain verifiable parental consent before collecting, using, or sharing personal information from children under 13
Important Considerations
If your promotion is open to a general audience (e.g., 13+ or 18+), but you are not specifically targeting children under 13 and do not knowingly collect their data, COPPA may not apply. However, safeguards should still be in place to prevent unintended data collection from children.
Best Practice
To simplify compliance and reduce risk, most brands structure promotions to exclude participants under 13 unless there is a specific strategic reason to include them.
Related questions
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