What You Need to Know About the January 2025 COPPA Amendments
Strengthening kids’ privacy online is at the core of the latest COPPA updates according to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) after introducing significant amendments to the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), effective January 2025. Requiring parents to opt in to targeted advertising practices prevents companies from monetizing children’s online data without active permission.
These updates are designed to improve protection for children under 13, ensuring their personal information is handled more responsibly by online services and operators.
Whether you're a business owner or a developer, understanding these new regulations is essential to maintaining compliance and safeguarding children's privacy.
In this blog post we break down the key elements of COPPA that have changed.
Key Updates
1. Stronger Parental Opt-In for Data Sharing
Before: Verifiable parental consent was required before collecting, using, or disclosing a child’s personal information.
After: Businesses must obtain separate, specific parental consent before sharing a child’s data with third parties, except when necessary for the service.
2. Stricter Data Retention Rules
Before: Data could be kept as long as reasonably necessary.
After: Operators must delete data once it’s no longer needed and cannot retain it indefinitely.
3. Expanded Definition of Personal Information
Before: Personal information was defined as information that can be used to identify, contact or locate a child.
After: Now the definition of Personal Information explicitly includes biometric data and government-issued identifiers.
4. Increased Transparency for Safe Harbor Programs
Before: Programs followed self-regulatory FTC-approved guidelines without public reporting.
After: Safe Harbor programs must publicly disclose membership lists and provide compliance reports.
5. Mandatory Written Information Security Program
Before: Operators needed reasonable security measures.
After: They must implement a formal security program, including risk assessments and safeguards.
The Bottom Line
The January 2025 COPPA amendments mark a significant step toward greater digital privacy protections for children.
These changes place more responsibility on companies to ensure transparency, security, and ethical data handling practices.
For businesses, this means revisiting and refining their privacy policies, consent mechanisms, and security protocols.
For parents, it offers greater reassurance that their child’s online interactions are being safeguarded. Maintaining transparency and keeping all parties informed about updates is crucial, as non-compliance can lead to a lack of trust as well as serious legal consequences.
By embracing these changes, we move closer to a safer and more responsible digital space for the next generation.
Schedule a free consultation today with Common Sense Privacy to stay prepared and ahead of compliance crack downs. Without proper preparation, you may be at risk. We're here to help. Book your free evaluation today.
For more information or to get started, contact us at: commonsenseprivacy.net
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