COPPA
U.S. regulation requiring parental consent for child data collection
ISO 19600
International guidelines for compliance management systems.
Quick Verdict
COPPA mandates parental consent for children's online data in US digital services, while ISO 19600 provides voluntary guidelines for building organization-wide compliance systems. Companies adopt COPPA for legal compliance to avoid massive fines; ISO 19600 for scalable governance frameworks.
COPPA
Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA)
Key Features
- Mandates verifiable parental consent for children under 13
- Defines expansive PII including persistent IDs and geolocation
- Targets child-directed commercial websites and online services
- Enforces strict FTC penalties up to $43,792 per violation
- Grants parents data access review and deletion rights
ISO 19600
ISO 19600:2014 Compliance management systems — Guidelines
Key Features
- Principles of good governance with compliance independence
- Risk-based identification of compliance obligations
- PDCA cycle for continual CMS improvement
- Scalable to organization size and complexity
- Integration with other ISO management systems
Detailed Analysis
A comprehensive look at the specific requirements, scope, and impact of each standard.
COPPA Details
What It Is
Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), enacted 1998 and effective 2000, is a U.S. federal regulation enforced by the FTC. It safeguards children under 13 from unauthorized personal data collection by commercial websites, apps, and IoT devices directed to kids or with actual knowledge. Primary purpose: empower parents via verifiable consent before collection, use, or disclosure. Approach: risk-based obligations scaled by data sensitivity.
Key Components
- **Verifiable parental consent (VPC)11+ methods like credit card checks, video calls.
- Broad PII definition (post-2013): names, addresses, persistent IDs, street-level geolocation, audio/video files.
- Privacy notices, data security, minimization, retention limits.
- Parental rights: access, review, deletion, revocation.
- Safe harbor programs (e.g., ESRB, iKeepSafe) for audited compliance. FTC penalties up to $43,792 per violation.
Why Organizations Use It
- Avoid crippling fines (e.g., YouTube's $170M).
- Meet legal mandates for U.S.-targeted child services.
- Reduce breach/reputation risks via security mandates.
- Build parental trust for kid-focused products.
- Gain global compliance edge; data minimization efficiencies.
Implementation Overview
- Analyze audience, implement age gates, VPC, policies.
- Audit third-parties, ensure data security.
- Applies to commercial operators worldwide targeting U.S. kids.
- No formal certification; FTC/safe harbor audits. Typical: 6-12 months for SMBs/enterprises across industries.
ISO 19600 Details
What It Is
ISO 19600:2014, Compliance management systems — Guidelines, is an international standard providing non-certifiable guidance for establishing, implementing, evaluating, maintaining, and improving a Compliance Management System (CMS). It applies to all organization types and sizes, using a principles-based, risk-based, scalable approach aligned with PDCA (Plan-Do-Check-Act) and ISO high-level structure.
Key Components
- Core clauses: context, leadership, planning, support, operation, performance evaluation, improvement.
- **Principlesgood governance, proportionality, transparency, sustainability.
- Governance focus: compliance function independence, board access, adequate resources.
- No fixed controls; emphasizes obligations identification, risk assessment, controls, monitoring.
- Builds on ISO 31000 risk management.
Why Organizations Use It
- Mitigates compliance risks (legal, regulatory, contractual, voluntary).
- Enhances governance, culture, operational efficiency.
- Supports integration with other ISO systems (e.g., 9001, 14001).
- Builds stakeholder trust, reduces penalties, aids judicial defensibility.
- Strategic enabler for market access, reputation.
Implementation Overview
- Phased: gap analysis, policy/objectives, controls/training, monitoring/audits.
- Proportional to size/complexity; 6-36 months typical.
- Universal applicability; no certification, but benchmarks for audits. (178 words)
Key Differences
| Aspect | COPPA | ISO 19600 |
|---|---|---|
| Scope | Children under 13 online data collection | Organization-wide compliance management systems |
| Industry | Online services, apps targeting US children | All industries, organizations worldwide |
| Nature | Mandatory US federal law, FTC enforced | Voluntary international guidelines, non-certifiable |
| Testing | FTC audits, safe harbor program reviews | Internal audits, management reviews recommended |
| Penalties | $43,792 per violation, $170M fines | No direct penalties, guidance only |
Scope
Industry
Nature
Testing
Penalties
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about COPPA and ISO 19600
COPPA FAQ
ISO 19600 FAQ
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