What is the primary objective of **COPPA**?

**The primary objective of COPPA is to protect the privacy of children under 13 by requiring verifiable parental consent before operators collect their personal information online.** Enacted in 1998 and effective April 21, 2000, COPPA targets commercial websites, online services, mobile apps, and IoT devices directed to children or with actual knowledge of their users, mandating privacy policies, data minimization, parental access/review/deletion rights, and data security.

Who is legally or professionally required to comply with **COPPA**?

**Operators of commercial websites, online services, mobile apps, and IoT devices that are directed to children under 13 or have actual knowledge of collecting personal information from them must comply with COPPA.** This includes entities collecting or benefiting from data like ad networks; non-profits are exempt if not commercial, but it applies extraterritorially to services targeting U.S. children.

Does **COPPA** require an external audit or third-party certification?

**COPPA does not mandate external audits or third-party certification for all operators, but participation in FTC-approved safe harbor programs requires audits by designated entities.** Examples include iKeepSafe (approved 2014) and ESRB (modified 2018), which provide self-regulatory compliance paths with FTC oversight.

How often should an assessment for **COPPA** be performed?

**COPPA does not prescribe a fixed frequency for assessments, but operators must conduct ongoing reviews to ensure continuous compliance with evolving data practices and FTC guidance.** Regular evaluations are essential for age screening, consent mechanisms, and data retention, aligned with FTC regulatory reviews like the 2019 comment periods.

What are the consequences of non-compliance with **COPPA**?

**Non-compliance with COPPA results in civil penalties up to $43,792 per violation, enforced by the FTC as unfair or deceptive practices, with state AGs able to sue.** High-profile cases include YouTube's $170 million fine in 2019 for unconsented tracking on child-directed content.

Can **COPPA** be mapped to other international frameworks?

**Yes, COPPA can be mapped to other international frameworks through shared principles like parental consent and data minimization for child privacy.** However, mappings depend on specific overlaps, such as age thresholds and PII definitions, requiring case-by-case alignment.

What is the first step to begin implementing **COPPA**?

**The first step to implement COPPA is to conduct an audience analysis to determine if your service is directed to children under 13 or has actual knowledge of their users.** This involves assessing content appeal, traffic analytics, and behavioral signals to classify scope before posting privacy policies and obtaining verifiable parental consent.

What is the primary objective of **PDPA**?

**The primary objective of PDPA is to govern the collection, use, and disclosure of personal data by organisations while balancing individuals’ right to protect their data and organisations’ need to process it for reasonable purposes.** Singapore’s **PDPA 2012**, administered by the **PDPC**, operational since **2 July 2014** with amendments from **1 February 2021**, enforces this through nine obligations: consent, notification, access/correction, accuracy, protection, retention limitation, transfer limitation, accountability, and breach notification under Part 6A. Thailand’s PDPA (effective **1 June 2022**) and Taiwan’s PDPA similarly protect data subjects’ control over processing.

Who is legally or professionally required to comply with **PDPA**?

**All organisations processing personal data of residents in PDPA jurisdictions—Singapore, Thailand, Taiwan—are required to comply, including controllers and processors with extraterritorial reach.** Singapore applies to organisations handling data in Singapore; Thailand mandates compliance for entities processing Thai residents’ data regardless of location; Taiwan regulates government/non-government agencies collecting Taiwanese nationals’ data. Processors face direct liability (e.g., Thailand); DPOs are mandatory in Singapore and Thailand above thresholds like processing **100,000** data subjects.

Does **PDPA** require an external audit or third-party certification?

**PDPA does not mandate external audits or third-party certification but requires organisations to demonstrate reasonable security and accountability through internal audits, risk assessments, and documented programmes.** Singapore’s **PDPC** expects a **Data Protection Management Programme (DPMP)** with self-assessments like **PATO**; Thailand and Taiwan emphasise proportionate measures via Enforcement Rules, including audit mechanisms as security controls, without statutory certification.

How often should an assessment for **PDPA** be performed?

**PDPA assessments, including data inventories, DPIAs, and security reviews, should be performed continuously with formal reviews at least annually or upon material changes.** Singapore’s **PDPC** guidance recommends periodic DPMP maintenance, breach register reviews over two years, and risk assessments for high-risk processing; Thailand requires security measure reviews; Taiwan’s Enforcement Rules mandate continuous improvement and risk management.

What are the consequences of non-compliance with **PDPA**?

**Non-compliance with PDPA incurs administrative fines up to **SGD 1 million** (Singapore), **THB 5 million** (Thailand), criminal liability including imprisonment (Thailand, Taiwan), and director/manager liability.** Singapore enforces via **PDPC** directions and penalties; Thailand adds civil damages up to twice compensation and **THB 3 million** for late breach notifications; Taiwan imposes monetary penalties and corrective orders like data erasure.

Can **PDPA** be mapped to other international frameworks?

**No, PDPA cannot be directly mapped to other international frameworks in these FAQs.** PDPA regimes (Singapore, Thailand, Taiwan) feature jurisdiction-specific mechanics like Singapore’s deemed consent, Thailand’s 72-hour notifications, and Taiwan’s agency model, requiring standalone compliance.

What is the first step to begin implementing **PDPA**?

**The first step to implement PDPA is appointing a **Data Protection Officer (DPO)** and conducting a comprehensive data inventory and gap assessment.** Singapore mandates DPO designation with senior access; map personal data flows, purposes, and processors using **PDPC** templates to prioritise DPIAs and high-risk areas like cross-border transfers.

COPPA vs PDPA | GRADUM

Standards Comparison

COPPA

Mandatory

1998

U.S. law requiring parental consent for children's online data

PDPA

Mandatory

2012

Southeast Asia's regulations for personal data protection

Quick Verdict

COPPA protects children under 13 from online data collection via parental consent, targeting kid-directed apps globally. PDPA governs general personal data processing with consent and security for organizations in Singapore/Thailand. Companies adopt COPPA for US child compliance, PDPA for regional operations.

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 kids' data
Broad PII definition includes device IDs and geolocation
Targets child-directed websites, apps, and online services
Grants parents access, review, and deletion rights
Enforces penalties up to $43,792 per FTC violation

Data Privacy

PDPA

Personal Data Protection Act 2012

Cost

€€€€

Complexity

High

Implementation Time

12-18 months

Key Features

Mandatory Data Protection Officer appointment
72-hour data breach notification requirement
Consent and deemed consent mechanisms
Cross-border data transfer limitations
Data subject access and correction rights

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) is a U.S. federal regulation enacted in 1998, effective April 2000, and enforced by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) under 16 CFR Part 312. It safeguards online privacy of children under 13 by empowering parents to control personal data collection on commercial websites, apps, and services directed to kids or with actual knowledge of their age. Its consent-based approach mandates verifiable parental involvement before any data use or disclosure.

Key Components

Verifiable parental consent (VPC) via 11+ methods like credit cards or video calls.
Expansive personal information (PII) definition covering names, geolocation, device IDs, and multimedia.
Requirements for privacy notices, data security, minimization, and parental access/deletion rights.
Safe harbor programs (e.g., ESRB, iKeepSafe) for audited self-regulation.

Why Organizations Use It

COPPA compliance is legally mandatory for applicable operators, avoiding crippling fines like YouTube's $170 million. It mitigates enforcement risks, builds parental trust, enables child-safe products, and supports global operations targeting U.S. kids.

Implementation Overview

Operators assess child-directed status, post policies, deploy age screens/VPC, secure data, and limit collection. Applies to commercial entities worldwide; safe harbors offer compliance paths via FTC-approved audits. Typical for websites/apps in edtech, gaming; high burden for small operators but tools ease startup.

PDPA Details

What It Is

PDPA (Personal Data Protection Act) refers to a family of statutes, primarily Singapore's Personal Data Protection Act 2012, Thailand's PDPA (2019), and others like Taiwan's. These are mandatory regulations governing collection, use, disclosure, and protection of personal data by organizations. They adopt a principles-based, risk-proportionate approach balancing individual privacy with business needs.

Key Components

Core obligations: consent/notification, purpose limitation, access/correction rights, security safeguards, retention limits, transfer controls, breach notification, accountability.
8-10 main principles across regimes.
Built on GDPR-like frameworks with local nuances (e.g., DPO, Do Not Call).
Compliance via self-assessment, no universal certification but regulator enforcement.

Why Organizations Use It

Legal compliance in Singapore/Thailand/Taiwan to avoid fines (up to SGD 1M/THB 5M).
Risk reduction via breach response and security.
Builds trust, enables cross-border ops, supports innovation.

Implementation Overview

Phased: governance, data mapping, policies, controls, training, audits.
Applies to all orgs processing local data; risk-based for SMEs/multinationals.
No certification; ongoing via DPMP, regulator guidance (184 words).

Key Differences

Aspect	COPPA	PDPA
Scope	Children under 13 online data collection	General personal data processing by organizations
Industry	Commercial websites/apps targeting kids (US/global)	All private sector organizations (Singapore/Thailand/Taiwan)
Nature	Mandatory US federal law enforced by FTC	Mandatory national acts with PDPC enforcement
Testing	No formal testing; compliance audits/safe harbors	Self-assessments, DPIAs, internal audits
Penalties	$43,792 per violation; $170M fines	SGD 1M or THB 5M fines; criminal liability

Scope

COPPA

Children under 13 online data collection

PDPA

General personal data processing by organizations

Industry

COPPA

Commercial websites/apps targeting kids (US/global)

PDPA

All private sector organizations (Singapore/Thailand/Taiwan)

Nature

COPPA

Mandatory US federal law enforced by FTC

PDPA

Mandatory national acts with PDPC enforcement

Testing

COPPA

No formal testing; compliance audits/safe harbors

PDPA

Self-assessments, DPIAs, internal audits

Penalties

COPPA

$43,792 per violation; $170M fines

PDPA

SGD 1M or THB 5M fines; criminal liability

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about COPPA and PDPA

COPPA FAQ

PDPA FAQ

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COPPA

PDPA

Quick Verdict

COPPA

Key Features

PDPA

Key Features

Detailed Analysis

COPPA Details

What It Is

Key Components

Why Organizations Use It

Implementation Overview

PDPA Details

What It Is

Key Components

Why Organizations Use It

Implementation Overview

Key Differences

Scope

Industry

Nature

Testing

Penalties

Frequently Asked Questions

COPPA FAQ

What is the primary objective of COPPA?

Who is legally or professionally required to comply with COPPA?

Does COPPA require an external audit or third-party certification?

How often should an assessment for COPPA be performed?

What are the consequences of non-compliance with COPPA?

Can COPPA be mapped to other international frameworks?

What is the first step to begin implementing COPPA?

PDPA FAQ

What is the primary objective of PDPA?

Who is legally or professionally required to comply with PDPA?

Does PDPA require an external audit or third-party certification?

How often should an assessment for PDPA be performed?

What are the consequences of non-compliance with PDPA?

Can PDPA be mapped to other international frameworks?

What is the first step to begin implementing PDPA?

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Run Maturity Assessments with GRADUM

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WEEE vs PDPA

SAFe vs FSSC 22000

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