Title 15 — Commerce and TradeRelease 119-73not60
§6503 Safe Harbors
Title 15 › Chapter 91— CHILDREN’S ONLINE PRIVACY PROTECTION › § 6503
Summary
Operators can follow industry-made self-regulation rules instead of the agency’s regulations if the agency approves those rules. The agency must encourage self-regulation and treat following approved guidelines as meeting its protections for children. The agency must decide on a request for this approval within 180 days and give a written answer. If it approves or does not act within 180 days, that decision can be appealed to a U.S. district court.
Full Legal Text
Title 15, §6503
Commerce and Trade — Source: USLM XML via OLRC
(a)An operator may satisfy the requirements of regulations issued under section 6502(b) of this title by following a set of self-regulatory guidelines, issued by representatives of the marketing or online industries, or by other persons, approved under subsection (b).
(b)(1)In prescribing regulations under section 6502 of this title, the Commission shall provide incentives for self-regulation by operators to implement the protections afforded children under the regulatory requirements described in subsection (b) of that section.
(2)Such incentives shall include provisions for ensuring that a person will be deemed to be in compliance with the requirements of the regulations under section 6502 of this title if that person complies with guidelines that, after notice and comment, are approved by the Commission upon making a determination that the guidelines meet the requirements of the regulations issued under section 6502 of this title.
(3)The Commission shall act upon requests for safe harbor treatment within 180 days of the filing of the request, and shall set forth in writing its conclusions with regard to such requests.
(c)Final action by the Commission on a request for approval of guidelines, or the failure to act within 180 days on a request for approval of guidelines, submitted under subsection (b) may be appealed to a district court of the United States of appropriate jurisdiction as provided for in section 706 of title 5.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
15 U.S.C. § 6503
Title 15 — Commerce and Trade
Last Updated
Apr 3, 2026
Release point: 119-73not60