COPPA Amendments Go Into Effect Today

After much anticipation since their initial released in December, the FTC’s COPPA amendments officially take effect today. COPPA ads are now the standard.

Much like Y2K, the COPPA changes were met with a certain amount of fear and dread. They are, after all, the most significant updates to US privacy laws since CAN-SPAM and the Do-Not-Call Registry were introduced in 2003.

While these changes are important, it’s important to note they do not spell the end of online advertising. Many advertisers have questions about the impact of these changes, and I’d like to take a moment to explain our awareness of these changes and how they will impact the industry.

Ads in the COPPA Era

Ever since the COPPA amendments were released in December, we’ve been hearing from customers. Some of the most common questions we hear include:

• “Can I still advertise to children?”

• “Can I still develop apps for kids?”

• “Are HasOffers and MobileAppTracking COPPA Compliant?”

I can assure you that the answer to all these questions is a resounding “YES.” As was detailed by our In-House Counsel in April, the new rules aren’t vastly different from the prior regulations. Most of our customers do not need to change their current practices, and for those that do there are several industry-friendly ways to continue advertising legally.

That said, I strongly encourage everybody to review Danan’s article and speak with your legal counsel about compliance efforts. The FTC has also created a helpful guide detailing the changes and a FAQ page.

What Is TUNE Doing to Remain Compliant?

We have always had a policy of not knowingly collecting information from children (and immediately deleting data collected inadvertently). We also offer a mobile opt-out page, which allows parents to opt-out mobile devices that are used by children.

Additionally, we are in the process of obtaining COPPA certification from TRUSTe, an independent third-party privacy auditing company. TRUSTe is one of only a few organizations recognized by the FTC as a COPPA safe-harbor, so their certification process is thorough and meaningful.

Please note that our service agreements require every customer to be compliant with COPPA before using our platform. If you are not currently compliant or have questions about whether COPPA applies to you, please let us know immediately so we can work with you to ensure we meet our mutual privacy obligations.

As always, the team at TUNE is dedicated to working with you on COPPA implementation issues and any other concerns you may have. We are committed to privacy and to ensuring that our customers are placed in a position to be successful.

If you have any questions, please reach out to your account representative or contact [email protected].