The US FTC proposes more data protections for kids, including making targeted ads for under-13s opt-in and banning using select data for kids push notifications
and where firms are deploying increasingly sophisticated digital tools to surveil children.'” Jules Polonetsky / @julespolonetsky : Just when you thought you could log off for the holiday.... Zephyr Teachout / @zephyrteachout : FINALLY, some federal relief for children and parents from big tech exploitation! Kids under 13 will not get targeted advertising without parental consent, and those awful addictive push notifications—OFF! @ttp_updates : If Meta actually cared about children's privacy, it would be supporting these COPPA changes wholeheartedly - not suing to dismantle the FTC's enforcement powers. Lina Khan / @linakhanftc : 7. Our proposed changes to COPPA are much-needed, especially in an era where online tools have become essential for navigating daily life—and where firms are deploying increasingly sophisticated digital tools to surveil kids and monetize their data. @hipsterelectron : i think chaos or someone else at @SmogonU might want to comment. i want the FTC to strengthen regulations here to protect against big corps like epic games but i know smogon has always gone above and beyond in COPPA compliance and i think the FTC would benefit from your input! Lina Khan / @linakhanftc : 3. By requiring firms to proactively safeguard kids' data, our proposed rule places affirmative obligations on service providers and prohibits them from outsourcing their responsibilities to parents. Lina Khan / @linakhanftc : 2. Our proposal would: -limit companies' ability to monetize kids' data; -expressly ban companies from endlessly retaining kids' data; -restrict surveillance in schools; and -limit the ability of firms to use push notifications and other “nudges” designed to keep kids online. Lina Khan / @linakhanftc : 1. Kids must be able to play & learn online without being endlessly tracked by companies looking to hoard and monetize their data. Today @FTC proposed changes to the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) Rule to further protect kids' data. https://www.ftc.gov/... @ftc : FTC proposes strengthening children's privacy rule to further limit companies' ability to monetize children's data: https://www.ftc.gov/... /1 Amy Klobuchar / @amyklobuchar : FTC unveils sweeping plan to boost children's privacy online https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ... See also Mediagazer
Washington PostCristiano Lima
Context & Ripple Effects
The proposal extends the FTC's push to update children's privacy safeguards as digital services evolved beyond COPPA's original framework. It follows the agency's warning that edtech firms could not use children's data commercially without parental consent and its proposed action to bar Meta from monetizing children's data.
The significance is not limited to advertising: tying consent to targeted ads and restricting data-driven push notifications would make product-engagement design, not just data collection, a COPPA compliance question.
First-order effects
If adopted, services directed at under-13s would need parental opt-in before serving targeted ads, changing the default from data-enabled monetization to permission-based advertising.
Companies would be barred from using the specified children's data for push notifications, forcing affected products to separate child-user data from engagement messaging workflows.
Second-order effects
Ad-supported child-focused services and their ad-tech partners would need to favor contextual advertising or other monetization paths where parental consent is absent.
The proposal would raise the compliance value of age assurance, parental-consent flows, and data-use controls—especially for companies already facing FTC scrutiny over children's data practices.
Third-order effects
If this approach survives rulemaking, COPPA enforcement could increasingly govern how platforms design engagement loops and advertising systems, rather than focusing narrowly on notice and collection.
The broader direction is toward consent architecture that limits downstream uses of children's data; its practical reach will depend on how clearly the FTC defines covered data and enforcement obligations.
The trend: Children's privacy policy is shifting from disclosure-based rules toward restrictions on the monetization and engagement uses of minors' data.
most companies already don't allow children under 13 on their platforms. hey now, if Lina Khan cared about results than optics, she would've actually achieved something during her tenure by now.
Some say that COPPA protects against things that just aren't that harmful. COPPA's 25-year history reminds us that it protects against real threats to kids' safety and data security, and prevents companies from forming commercial relationships with kids that exploit their trust.
This is good, but America still needs a cohesive privacy regulatory policy similar to GDPR. Existing sectoral privacy rules do not adequately protect people from modern data collection practices.
The proposal includes new protections on biometrics, makes sure that exceptions to consent rules aren't misused to extend engagement, and a clear reminder that kids' data can't be kept forever.
Fantastic! We've been saying for years that the way to protect kids online is by cracking down on surveillance & harmful business practices, rather than trying to censor content. The FTC has significant authority in this area, and they should use every ounce of it. Let's go!
FTC is proposing to further strengthen COPPA. Our YouTube COPPA settlement research shows this has the disadvantage of restricting the supply of child-directed content and particularly disadvantages small creators. 1/2
The internet our children use has changed dramatically since the COPPA rule was last updated 10 years ago. Today, the @FTC took yet another bold step to protect our kids from the growing online harms detailed by researchers, medical professionals, and whistleblowers.
As a dad & an educator, I appreciate this from Lina Khan: “'The proposed changes to COPPA are much-needed, especially in an era where online tools are essential for navigating daily life—and where firms are deploying increasingly sophisticated digital tools to surveil children.'”
FINALLY, some federal relief for children and parents from big tech exploitation! Kids under 13 will not get targeted advertising without parental consent, and those awful addictive push notifications—OFF!
If Meta actually cared about children's privacy, it would be supporting these COPPA changes wholeheartedly - not suing to dismantle the FTC's enforcement powers.
7. Our proposed changes to COPPA are much-needed, especially in an era where online tools have become essential for navigating daily life—and where firms are deploying increasingly sophisticated digital tools to surveil kids and monetize their data.
i think chaos or someone else at @SmogonU might want to comment. i want the FTC to strengthen regulations here to protect against big corps like epic games but i know smogon has always gone above and beyond in COPPA compliance and i think the FTC would benefit from your input!
3. By requiring firms to proactively safeguard kids' data, our proposed rule places affirmative obligations on service providers and prohibits them from outsourcing their responsibilities to parents.
2. Our proposal would: -limit companies' ability to monetize kids' data; -expressly ban companies from endlessly retaining kids' data; -restrict surveillance in schools; and -limit the ability of firms to use push notifications and other “nudges” designed to keep kids online.
1. Kids must be able to play & learn online without being endlessly tracked by companies looking to hoard and monetize their data. Today @FTC proposed changes to the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) Rule to further protect kids' data. https://www.ftc.gov/...