Standards Comparison

    CE Marking

    Mandatory
    1985

    EU conformity marking for harmonised product legislation compliance

    VS

    COPPA

    Mandatory
    1998

    U.S. federal regulation protecting children's online privacy under 13.

    Quick Verdict

    CE Marking ensures EEA product safety via manufacturer declarations, while COPPA mandates parental consent for US children's online data. Companies adopt CE for market access, COPPA to avoid massive FTC fines and protect minors.

    Product Safety

    CE Marking

    CE Marking (Conformité Européenne)

    Cost
    €€€
    Complexity
    High
    Implementation Time
    6-12 months

    Key Features

    • Manufacturer declares conformity to EU essential requirements
    • Enables free product movement across EEA markets
    • OJEU harmonised standards grant presumption of conformity
    • Risk-proportionate conformity assessment modules A-H
    • Mandates 10-year technical documentation retention
    Children Privacy

    COPPA

    Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA)

    Cost
    €€€€
    Complexity
    High
    Implementation Time
    6-12 months

    Key Features

    • Requires verifiable parental consent before kids' data collection
    • Protects children under 13 from online personal info collection
    • Broad PII definition includes geolocation, device IDs, multimedia
    • FTC enforcement with $43,792 penalties per violation
    • Mandates privacy policies, data security, parental access rights

    Detailed Analysis

    A comprehensive look at the specific requirements, scope, and impact of each standard.

    CE Marking Details

    What It Is

    CE Marking (Conformité Européenne) is the EU's mandatory conformity marking for products under harmonised legislation like the New Legislative Framework (NLF). It signifies the manufacturer's declaration that products meet essential health, safety, and environmental requirements, enabling free EEA market circulation. The approach is risk-proportionate, using self-assessment or notified body verification.

    Key Components

    • Identification of applicable directives (e.g., LVD, Machinery, RED)
    • Conformity assessment modules (A-H)
    • Technical documentation and EU Declaration of Conformity (DoC)
    • Harmonised standards for presumption of conformity Self-declaration for low-risk; notified body certification for high-risk; 10-year retention.

    Why Organizations Use It

    Mandated for market access; mitigates legal risks, fines, recalls; builds stakeholder trust; leverages standards for efficiency; supports single-market scale and competition.

    Implementation Overview

    Map legislation, conduct risk assessment, compile technical file, issue DoC, affix mark. Applies to manufacturers/importers in EEA-impacted industries; varies by product risk; no central certification but audit-ready evidence required.

    COPPA Details

    What It Is

    Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) is a U.S. federal regulation enacted in 1998, effective 2000. Administered by the FTC, it safeguards children under 13 from unauthorized online personal data collection by commercial websites, apps, and services directed to kids or with actual knowledge of users' age. Core approach mandates verifiable parental consent (VPC) before collection, use, or disclosure, with a risk-based sliding scale for consent methods.

    Key Components

    • VPC mechanisms (e.g., credit card, video call; 11+ methods)
    • Comprehensive privacy policies and notices
    • Expansive personal information definition (names, geolocation, device IDs, audio/video)
    • Parental rights to access, review, delete data
    • Data minimization, security, no-conditioning rules Enforced via FTC under unfair practices; safe harbor programs for compliance.

    Why Organizations Use It

    • Avoids steep fines ($43,792/violation; e.g., YouTube $170M)
    • Meets legal obligations for child-directed services
    • Enhances parental trust, reputation
    • Mitigates enforcement risks in edtech, gaming
    • Global applicability for U.S.-targeted operations

    Implementation Overview

    • Analyze audience for child-direction; deploy age gates
    • Integrate VPC, policies, secure data handling
    • Applies to all commercial operators globally targeting U.S. kids
    • No formal certification; self-compliance or safe harbors (e.g., ESRB) Typical for apps/sites: policy drafting, tech updates, audits. (178 words)

    Key Differences

    Scope

    CE Marking
    Product safety, health, environmental compliance
    COPPA
    Children's online personal data privacy

    Industry

    CE Marking
    Manufacturing, hardware across EEA
    COPPA
    Online services, apps targeting US children

    Nature

    CE Marking
    Mandatory manufacturer self-declaration
    COPPA
    Mandatory FTC-enforced regulation

    Testing

    CE Marking
    Conformity assessment, notified bodies
    COPPA
    Parental consent verification, audits

    Penalties

    CE Marking
    Market withdrawal, national fines
    COPPA
    $43,792 per violation, FTC fines

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Common questions about CE Marking and COPPA

    CE Marking FAQ

    COPPA FAQ

    You Might also be Interested in These Articles...

    Run Maturity Assessments with GRADUM

    Transform your compliance journey with our AI-powered assessment platform

    Assess your organization's maturity across multiple standards and regulations including ISO 27001, DORA, NIS2, NIST, GDPR, and hundreds more. Get actionable insights and track your progress with collaborative, AI-powered evaluations.

    100+ Standards & Regulations
    AI-Powered Insights
    Collaborative Assessments
    Actionable Recommendations

    Check out these other Gradum.io Standards Comparison Pages