Title 15, Commerce and TradeRelease 119-110

§6503 Safe Harbors

Title 15 › CHAPTER 91 — CHILDREN’S ONLINE PRIVACY PROTECTION › § 6503

Last updated Sep 22, 2026|Official source

Summary

Operators can meet the requirements by following self-made industry guidelines that are approved by the agency. The agency must encourage self-regulation, and it will say someone is treated as following the rules if they follow guidelines that the agency approves after public notice and comment and finds meet the regulatory standards. The agency must decide requests for this safe-harbor treatment within 180 days and put its decision in writing. A final decision, or not acting within 180 days, can be appealed to a U.S. district court under federal law.

Full Legal Text

Title 15, §6503

Commerce and Trade, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Guidelines

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)Incentives

(1)Self-regulatory incentives

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)Deemed compliance

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)Expedited response to requests

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)Appeals

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

Sep 22, 2026

Release point: 119-110