The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is proposing changes to the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Rule (COPPA) to make it harder for tech companies to track and monetize children’s data. Some of the proposed changes include placing limits on how long companies can retain data they collect from minors and forcing parents to consent to, or opt out of, targeted marketing.
COPPA has been around since April 2000 and currently requires some level of transparency from online services and websites. Before collecting data from minors, providers need to obtain “verifiable parental consent.” In 2013, the FTC tried to narrow the definition of what a provider is to any digital service that weaves an advertising network into its platform and collects personal data — regardless of whether or not a website or online service is particularly directed toward children. At the time, they also expanded the scope of what constitutes ‘personal information’ to include geolocation and any ph
