Overview
- On Feb. 25, the FTC said it will not bring COPPA actions against operators that collect, use, or disclose personal data solely to determine a user’s age if specified conditions are met.
- The conditions require purpose limitation, strong vendor oversight, prompt deletion and retention limits, clear notices to users and parents, reasonable security, and demonstrably accurate results.
- The discretion applies to general‑audience and mixed‑audience services and does not alter expectations for sites primarily directed to children under 13.
- The move follows the FTC’s Jan. 28 Age Verification Workshop; the Commission approved the policy 2–0 and said it intends to review the COPPA Rule to address age‑verification mechanisms.
- FTC leaders praised age‑verification as protective for children, while critics warned of circumvention, accuracy problems, and breach risks, with UNICEF cautioning that age‑restriction regimes can backfire.