Children and Teens’ Online Privacy Protection Act
Sponsored By: Representative Walberg
In Committee
Summary
Expands COPPA to cover teens and sharply limits how companies collect, use, and share minors' personal data. This bill would broaden key definitions, raise consent standards for children and teens, and curb individualized advertising toward minors.
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- Families and teens would get stronger controls and clearer notices: verifiable parental consent for younger children and verifiable teen consent for ages 13–16, plus rights to access, delete, and correct a teen's data.
- Schools and students would have a safe harbor when operators sign written agreements: student data could be used only for educational purposes and must be disclosed, reviewable, and deletable by the school or parent/teen.
- Large platforms meeting the "high‑impact" test (about $3 billion in annual revenue and 300 million monthly users) would face stricter "knowledge" standards, tighter retention rules, limits on cross‑border transfers, and heightened consent requirements.
- Advertising and data rules would ban individual‑specific advertising to children and teens while allowing contextual ads and measurement. Internal‑operations uses are narrowly allowed but cannot be used to build new profiles.
- The Federal Trade Commission would study a common consent mechanism, publish oversight and enforcement reports, and must analyze impacts on small entities. The bill also preempts state laws to create a single national standard.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
10 provisions identified: 7 benefits, 0 costs, 3 mixed.
No targeted ads to minors
If enacted, operators would be barred from using a child’s or teen’s personal data to show individual-specific ads. The bill would define this kind of advertising as using personal data or profiling about a child, teen, or similar youth group. It would allow some exceptions, like user searches, contextual ads that do not use personal data, and ad measurement. Ads shown only to an adult profile on a shared device, or ads that only use whether someone is a child or teen, would still be allowed.
One national standard and enforcement tweaks
If enacted, states and cities could not enforce their own child and teen online privacy laws on these topics; the federal rules would control. The bill would update how states may bring cases under the federal law. It would also have the FTC post certain safe‑harbor reports online, following existing confidentiality rules.
Clear consent and notice for minors
If enacted, operators would have to give direct notice and get a clear yes before collecting a child’s or teen’s data. Teens could give consent for themselves in covered cases. New consent would be needed before any material change in how data is used or shared. The FTC would study a single consent system for several related services and could allow it if it works. Operators would also have to tell a parent or teen before storing, transferring, or giving a covered nation access to the minor’s data.
Tighter limits on kids' data
If enacted, operators could only collect a child or teen’s data when needed to provide a requested service or when required by law. They could keep it only as long as needed for that service. Data could be used for internal operations like security, basic functions, or contextual ads, but not to contact people, build profiles, or prompt use. Operators would also need reasonable security to protect minors’ data.
School ed-tech data use limits
If enacted, a company with a written school agreement could use student data without each parent’s or teen’s consent, but only for educational purposes. The agreement must say what is collected, include a public disclosure link, and let the school review or delete data on request. The school must name a contact and post a public notice.
Big social apps face higher duty
If enacted, very large social platforms would have a higher duty to know when a user is a child or teen. A “high‑impact” service would make $3,000,000,000 or more a year, have 300,000,000 or more monthly users for at least 3 of the last 12 months, and mainly share user content. For them, “knowledge” would include willful disregard of clear signs, not just actual knowledge. Smaller operators would still be held to actual knowledge.
Data access and delete rights for teens
If enacted, a teen or parent could ask what data was collected, why, and get a copy, fix errors, or delete it. Operators could keep some data to follow the law or for security and do not have to remove content posted by other people. If a parent or teen refuses further use, an operator could end the account. But if the service can run without that data, it could not end service just because you asked for deletion.
More data counts as personal info
If enacted, many items would count as personal information for kids and teens, including names, address, email, phone, Social Security number, device IDs and cookies, photos, video, audio, location, and biometrics. It would also cover data linked to a child or parent across sites. A short voice clip used only to do a task, kept only as needed, and then deleted, would not count as personal information if strict rules are met.
Review rule impacts on small businesses
If enacted, agencies would need to explain how new rules under this title affect small businesses. The review would follow the Regulatory Flexibility Act. This could surface burdens and options before rules are final.
Who is covered under these rules
If enacted, “teen” would mean ages 13 through 16. The bill would define who counts as an “operator,” covering for‑profit sites and apps that collect or let others collect personal data, but excluding 501(c)(3) charities. It would also define online and mobile apps so it is clear that internet‑connected and wireless phone or tablet apps are covered.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Walberg
MI • R
Cosponsors
Lee (FL)
FL • R
Sponsored 11/25/2025
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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