Standards Comparison

    COPPA

    Mandatory
    1998

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

    VS

    ISO/IEC 42001:2023

    Voluntary
    2023

    International standard for AI management systems.

    Quick Verdict

    COPPA mandates parental consent for kids' online data in US apps, while ISO/IEC 42001:2023 offers voluntary AI governance certification globally. Companies adopt COPPA to avoid massive FTC fines; ISO 42001 builds trust, ensures ethical AI, and accelerates procurement.

    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 collecting children's personal information
    • Targets operators of sites and services directed to children under 13
    • Broad personal information definition includes persistent identifiers and geolocation
    • Provides parents rights to access review and delete child data
    • FTC enforces with civil penalties up to $43,792 per violation
    AI Management

    ISO/IEC 42001:2023

    ISO/IEC 42001:2023 Artificial Intelligence Management System

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

    Key Features

    • PDCA framework for AI governance and continual improvement
    • Mandatory AI Impact Assessments for high-risk systems
    • Annex A: 38 AI-specific controls for risks
    • HLS integration with ISO 27001 and 9001
    • Full AI lifecycle management from inception to retirement

    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 2000, is a U.S. federal regulation enforced by the FTC. It protects children under 13 by requiring parental control over personal data collection on commercial websites, apps, and services with child-directed content or actual knowledge of users. Its approach mandates strict verifiable consent before any collection, use, or disclosure.

    Key Components

    • Verifiable parental consent (VPC) via 11+ methods (e.g., credit card, video call)
    • Comprehensive privacy notices and policies
    • Parental rights to access, review, delete, and revoke data
    • Broad PII definition (16 CFR Part 312): names, device IDs, geolocation, audio/video
    • Data security, minimization, and limited retention

    Why Organizations Use It

    • Avoids crippling FTC penalties ($43,792/violation; YouTube $170M fine)
    • Meets legal obligations for U.S./global child-targeting services
    • Enhances trust, reduces risks from breaches/enforcement
    • Enables safe harbors (e.g., ESRB, iKeepSafe) for compliance
    • Builds reputation in edtech, gaming, adtech

    Implementation Overview

    Conduct audience analysis, deploy age gates/VPC, post policies, audit data practices. Applies to all operator sizes/industries targeting kids. Safe harbors optional for audits; typical timeline 6-12 months using tools like policy generators.

    ISO/IEC 42001:2023 Details

    What It Is

    ISO/IEC 42001:2023 is the world's first international standard for Artificial Intelligence Management Systems (AIMS). It specifies requirements to establish, implement, maintain, and improve AIMS using a risk-based, Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) methodology, addressing AI risks like bias and transparency across the full lifecycle for any organization.

    Key Components

    • Clauses 4-10: context, leadership, planning, support, operation, evaluation, improvement
    • **Annex A38 AI-specific controls (data, transparency, integrity, resiliency)
    • High-Level Structure (HLS) for ISO 9001/27001 integration
    • Optional third-party certification with 3-year validity, surveillance audits

    Why Organizations Use It

    • Mitigates AI risks (bias, drift, ethics); aligns with EU AI Act
    • Builds stakeholder trust, reputation, competitive differentiation
    • Enables compliant innovation, regulatory preparedness

    Implementation Overview

    • Phased: gap analysis, AIIAs, training, audits
    • 6-12 months typical; faster with existing ISO systems
    • Applies universally; certification via accredited auditors

    Key Differences

    Scope

    COPPA
    Children under 13 online data collection
    ISO/IEC 42001:2023
    Not specified

    Industry

    COPPA
    Commercial websites/apps targeting kids, US/global
    ISO/IEC 42001:2023
    Not specified

    Nature

    COPPA
    Mandatory US federal law, FTC enforced
    ISO/IEC 42001:2023
    Not specified

    Testing

    COPPA
    Parental consent verification, no formal audits
    ISO/IEC 42001:2023
    Not specified

    Penalties

    COPPA
    $43,792 per violation, FTC fines
    ISO/IEC 42001:2023
    Not specified

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Common questions about COPPA and ISO/IEC 42001:2023

    COPPA FAQ

    ISO/IEC 42001:2023 FAQ

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