Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA)’s Amended Rule in Effect

On April 22, 2026, the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC’s) amended Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) Rule took full effect for operators of child-directed websites and online services, as well as those with actual knowledge that they collect personal information from children under the age of 13.  Some of the compliance obligations include separate parental consent for third-party disclosures, written data retention policy and security program, and expanded online notices.  Operators that have not completed their compliance programs now face active enforcement exposure under the Rule.  COPPA civil penalties carry a maximum of $53,088 per violation.  The April 22, 2026 deadline marks the first comprehensive update to children’s online privacy obligations in over a decade, and one of the most significant since COPPA took effect in 2000.