COPPA Compliance Services

Applicability Assessment

Understand whether your online platform, mobile app, or service is subject to COPPA. VeraSafe can conduct a detailed assessment to determine your legal obligations and recommend tailored compliance strategies.

Notice Development

Operators and service providers subject to COPPA must provide clear and comprehensive notices explaining their data collection and processing practices. VeraSafe can draft or review your notices to ensure compliance with COPPA’s disclosure requirements.

Data Collection and Retention Practices Review

COPPA regulates the collection, use, and retention of children’s personal information. VeraSafe can review your data handling practices to ensure they align with COPPA’s strict requirements.

Third-Party Vendor and Advertising Compliance

If your platform integrates third-party advertising, tracking technologies, or analytics, you may be responsible for ensuring these partners comply with COPPA. VeraSafe can assess your vendor relationships, implement contractual safeguards, and provide guidance on compliant ad-serving practices.

Safe Harbor Assistance

Organizations that participate in FTC-approved Safe Harbor programs can benefit from streamlined compliance processes. VeraSafe can assist with certification, ongoing monitoring, and best practices to align with Safe Harbor requirements.

Parental Consent Management

COPPA requires verifiable parental consent before collecting personal information from children under 13. VeraSafe can help review your organization’s consent mechanisms, such as email verification, credit card authentication, and government-issued ID verification for compliance with COPPA and other data protection regulations.

Age-Gating and Audience Assessment

Determining whether a service is directed at children can be complex. VeraSafe can conduct a thorough analysis of your platform’s content, audience, and data collection practices to determine if age-gating mechanisms are required.

Security Measures and Safeguards

COPPA requires security measures to protect children’s personal data from unauthorized disclosure, misuse, alteration, destruction, or other compromise. VeraSafe can help you develop and implement industry-standard security controls to safeguard personal information.

EdTech and Educational Compliance Support

Educational platforms must navigate specific COPPA compliance nuances, particularly when working with schools. VeraSafe leverages extensive experience in the EdTech sector to provide compliance guidance that supports innovation while safeguarding children’s privacy.

COPPA Compliance Training

Our COPPA training programs provide your team with the knowledge needed to comply with the law. The training covers key COPPA requirements, their impact on your organization, best practices for handling children’s data responsibly, and training for legal, marketing, and product development teams to support organization-wide compliance.

FAQs

What is 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. It applies to websites, mobile apps, and online services that collect personal information from children, requiring them to obtain verifiable parental consent and follow strict data protection guidelines.

Who does COPPA apply to?

COPPA applies to websites, mobile apps, and online services that collect, use, or share personal information from children under 13. This includes services that are directed at children as well as general audience platforms that knowingly collect data from children. It also applies to third-party service providers, such as ad networks or analytics providers, that process children’s data on behalf of these platforms.

Does COPPA apply to only U.S. companies?

No, COPPA applies to any company—regardless of location—that collects, uses, or shares personal information from children under 13 in the U.S. This means that non-U.S. companies must also comply with COPPA if they operate websites, mobile apps, or online services directed to children in the U.S. or if they knowingly collect information from children in the U.S

What is COPPA age verification?

COPPA requires companies to verify a user’s age before collecting data, obtain verifiable parental consent if the user is under 13, and implement effective mechanisms to confirm the identity of the consenting parent.

What are the consequences of noncompliance with COPPA?

Failure to comply with COPPA can result in significant penalties in excess of $50,000 per violation per child affected and regulatory enforcement actions. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) enforces COPPA and has taken action against companies for improper data collection, inadequate parental consent mechanisms, and insufficient privacy protections. In addition to financial penalties, noncompliance can lead to reputational damage, legal disputes, and restrictions on business operations.

Matthew Joseph

CIPP/E, CIPP/US, CIPM, FIP

Managing Director

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Jim Cormier

CIPP/E, CIPM, FIP

Senior Vice President and Head of Professional Services

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Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) Advisory Services

Strategic Support for COPPA Compliance

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