FTC Speeds Up Review of COPPA Rule

The Federal Trade Commission has sped up its review of the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Rule (COPPA Rule) by five years as a result of rapid growth in children’s use of mobile devices and interactive gaming.

The FTC said it usually reviews rules every 10 years. The Commission last reviewed COPPA in 2005.

Congress passed the rule in 1998, directing the Commission to create a rule addressing privacy and safety risks created when children under 13 access the Internet. The rule took effect in 2000.

The rule requires operators of Web sites and online services that target this group to obtain verifiable parental consent before they collect, use, or disclose personal information from children, according to the FTC.

They also must give parents the opportunity to review and delete personal information their children have provided.