Children and Teens’ Online Privacy Protection Act

S. 836, the Children and Teens' Online Privacy Protection Act, passed the Senate and is now being considered by the House. The bill would amend the existing Children's Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998 to expand privacy safeguards for young people. Currently, COPPA only protects children under 13, but this bill would extend those protections to teenagers under 17, nearly doubling the number of people covered.

The bill would prohibit websites, apps, and online services from collecting personal information from users under 17 for targeted advertising purposes. It would also restrict how companies store and transfer young people's data, requiring notification to parents or teens before moving their information outside the United States. The definition of personal information would be expanded to include IP addresses, device identifiers, biometric data, and location information. Additionally, teenagers aged 13 to 16 would gain new rights to access, correct, and delete their own personal information.

Companies that operate online platforms would be required to implement reasonable security practices to protect minors' data and face civil penalties for violations. The bill would also direct the Federal Trade Commission to study how online and mobile applications are overseen and enforced, and require the Government Accountability Office to examine the privacy and mental health effects of financial technology products on teenagers.