Standards Comparison

    COPPA

    Mandatory
    1998

    U.S. regulation mandating parental consent for children's online data collection

    VS

    23 NYCRR 500

    Mandatory
    2017

    NY regulation for financial services cybersecurity compliance

    Quick Verdict

    COPPA safeguards children's online privacy via parental consent for under-13 data collection, while 23 NYCRR 500 mandates cybersecurity programs for NY financial firms. Companies adopt COPPA to avoid FTC fines; 23 NYCRR 500 for regulatory compliance and resilience.

    Children Privacy

    COPPA

    Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA)

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

    Key Features

    • Mandates verifiable parental consent before collecting personal info from children under 13
    • Targets commercial websites, apps, IoT directed to children or with actual knowledge
    • Broadly defines personal information including persistent IDs and geolocation data
    • Enforced by FTC with civil penalties up to $43,792 per violation
    • Grants parents rights to access, review, and delete child's data
    Financial Services

    23 NYCRR 500

    23 NYCRR Part 500 Cybersecurity Regulation

    Cost
    €€€€
    Complexity
    High
    Implementation Time
    18-24 months

    Key Features

    • Annual CISO/CEO dual-signature compliance certification
    • 72-hour cybersecurity incident notification to NYDFS
    • Phishing-resistant MFA for privileged and remote access
    • Comprehensive TPSP risk management and contractual controls
    • Risk-based annual penetration testing and vulnerability assessments

    Detailed Analysis

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

    COPPA Details

    What It Is

    The Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), enacted in 1998 and effective April 21, 2000, is a U.S. federal regulation enforced by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). It protects children under 13 from unauthorized online personal data collection by commercial operators of websites, apps, and IoT devices. The parent-empowerment approach mandates verifiable parental consent (VPC) before collection, use, or disclosure.

    Key Components

    • **Core ObligationsPost privacy notices, obtain VPC (11+ methods like credit card verification, video calls), provide parental data access/review/deletion.
    • **Personal InformationIncludes names, addresses, persistent identifiers (IP, device IDs), street-level geolocation, audio/video files.
    • **PracticesData minimization, security, no conditioning on kids' data.
    • **Compliance ModelSelf-certification or FTC-approved safe harbors (e.g., ESRB, iKeepSafe) with audits; 2013 amendments expanded scope.

    Why Organizations Use It

    Avoids hefty FTC penalties ($43,792/violation; YouTube $170M fine). Meets legal requirements for child-directed services, builds parental trust, reduces breach risks, supports global operations targeting U.S. kids.

    Implementation Overview

    Analyze audience for child appeal or actual knowledge; deploy age screens, VPC mechanisms, secure policies. Suits all sizes in edtech/gaming; no mandatory certification but safe harbor audits; ongoing via tech updates, Federal Register monitoring.

    23 NYCRR 500 Details

    What It Is

    23 NYCRR Part 500 is the New York Department of Financial Services (NYDFS) Cybersecurity Regulation, a state-level mandate for financial entities. It establishes minimum, risk-based cybersecurity requirements to protect nonpublic information (NPI) and information systems' confidentiality, integrity, and availability. The approach centers on documented risk assessments informing program design, governance, and controls.

    Key Components

    • 14 core requirements including cybersecurity program (§500.2), CISO appointment (§500.4), MFA (§500.12), encryption (§500.15), TPSP oversight (§500.11), penetration testing (§500.5), and 72-hour incident notification (§500.17).
    • Built on risk assessment (§500.9) as foundation; annual CISO/CEO certification with five-year record retention.
    • Compliance model features phased deadlines, Class A enhanced controls, and NYDFS enforcement via consent orders.

    Why Organizations Use It

    Financial services firms in NY comply to avoid multimillion-dollar fines (e.g., Robinhood $30M), ensure operational resilience, and meet legal obligations for licensed entities. It reduces cyber incident risk, strengthens TPSP management, builds stakeholder trust, and aligns with NIST CSF for broader benefits.

    Implementation Overview

    Phased rollout (up to 24 months post-2023 amendments) involves gap analysis, asset inventory, MFA rollout, TPSP contracts, and evidence repositories. Applies to NY-licensed banks, insurers, etc.; no formal certification but annual filings and NYDFS examinations required. (178 words)

    Key Differences

    Scope

    COPPA
    Child online privacy and data collection
    23 NYCRR 500
    Financial cybersecurity program and NPI protection

    Industry

    COPPA
    Online services, apps targeting children under 13, global
    23 NYCRR 500
    NY financial services entities, state-specific

    Nature

    COPPA
    Federal privacy regulation, FTC enforced, mandatory
    23 NYCRR 500
    State cybersecurity regulation, NYDFS enforced, mandatory

    Testing

    COPPA
    No mandated testing, compliance audits by FTC
    23 NYCRR 500
    Annual pen testing, bi-annual vulnerability assessments

    Penalties

    COPPA
    $43,792 per violation, e.g. YouTube $170M
    23 NYCRR 500
    Multi-million fines, consent orders, e.g. Robinhood $30M

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Common questions about COPPA and 23 NYCRR 500

    COPPA FAQ

    23 NYCRR 500 FAQ

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