PCI DSS
Global standard securing payment cardholder data environments
COPPA
U.S. federal law protecting children's online privacy under 13
Quick Verdict
PCI DSS secures payment card data contractually for merchants worldwide, while COPPA mandates parental consent for kids' online data under FTC enforcement. Companies adopt PCI DSS to process cards without bans; COPPA to avoid massive fines and protect children.
PCI DSS
Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard v4.0
Key Features
- 12 requirements across 6 objectives protecting cardholder data
- 300+ granular sub-requirements with testing procedures
- Cardholder Data Environment scoping via segmentation
- Merchant levels 1-4 with SAQ/ROC validation paths
- v4.0 customized approaches and MFA emphasis
COPPA
Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA)
Key Features
- Requires verifiable parental consent for kids' data
- Broad PII definition includes persistent IDs, geolocation
- Targets child-directed websites, apps, IoT globally
- Grants parents data access, review, deletion rights
- FTC enforcement with $43,792 per-violation penalties
Detailed Analysis
A comprehensive look at the specific requirements, scope, and impact of each standard.
PCI DSS Details
What It Is
PCI DSS v4.0 (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard) is a contractual security framework for protecting cardholder data. It mandates technical and operational controls for entities storing, processing, or transmitting payment card information, using a control-based approach with scoping to the Cardholder Data Environment (CDE).
Key Components
- 12 requirements under 6 control objectives (network security, data protection, vulnerability management, access control, monitoring, policy maintenance).
- Over 300 sub-requirements and testing procedures.
- Merchant/service provider levels (1-4) with SAQ/ROC validation and ASV scans.
- v4.0 supports defined/customized approaches.
Why Organizations Use It
- Contractual obligation from card brands to avoid fines, bans.
- Reduces breach risks/costs ($37/record avg.).
- Builds trust, enables card processing.
Implementation Overview
- Gap analysis, CDE scoping, remediation, validation.
- Applies to all card-handling orgs globally.
- QSA audits for Level 1; ongoing quarterly scans.
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, enforced by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). It protects children under 13 from unauthorized online collection of personal information by commercial websites, apps, IoT devices, and services directed to kids or with actual knowledge of their users. Its approach emphasizes parental empowerment through verifiable consent.
Key Components
- Verifiable parental consent (VPC) via 11+ methods like credit cards or video calls.
- Privacy notices and policies.
- Parental rights to access, review, delete data.
- Data minimization, security, and limited retention.
- Broad PII definition: names, IDs, geolocation, multimedia. Compliance via self-assessment or FTC-approved safe harbors.
Why Organizations Use It
- Avoids massive fines ($43,792/violation; e.g., YouTube $170M).
- Meets legal obligations for child-directed operators.
- Builds parent trust, reduces risks in edtech/gaming.
- Enhances reputation amid rising enforcement.
Implementation Overview
- Analyze audience; deploy age gates, VPC mechanisms.
- Update policies, secure data, audit third-parties.
- Applies globally to U.S. kids' data; all sizes/industries.
- No certification; FTC audits safe harbors.
Key Differences
| Aspect | PCI DSS | COPPA |
|---|---|---|
| Scope | Payment card data security | Children's online personal data |
| Industry | Payment processing merchants globally | Online services for kids under 13 US |
| Nature | Contractual standard enforced by brands | Mandatory FTC regulation |
| Testing | Quarterly scans, annual pen tests by QSA/ASV | Parental consent verification, FTC audits |
| Penalties | Fines, processing bans via contracts | $43,792 per violation civil penalties |
Scope
Industry
Nature
Testing
Penalties
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about PCI DSS and COPPA
PCI DSS FAQ
COPPA FAQ
You Might also be Interested in These Articles...
CIS Controls v8.1 IG1 Ransomware-Resilience Sprint: A 30-60-90 Day Action Plan (With Evidence Checklist)
Tactical CIS Controls v8.1 IG1 playbook for ransomware resilience. 30-60-90 day sprint with tool-agnostic tasks, ownership & evidence checklists to prove progre
Decoding Tomorrow's Regulations: How Advanced Compliance Tools Predict and Prepare for Future Shifts
Advanced compliance tools use AI, analytics & real-time monitoring to predict regulatory shifts, cut non-compliance costs 3x, and ensure audit readiness. Stay p
HITRUST CSF MyCSF Platform Mastery: Infograph of Evidence Tagging Workflows and Top 5 Maturity Tier Acceleration Takeaways
Master MyCSF platform with infographics on evidence tagging for 1,400+ HITRUST controls across 19 domains. Cut documentation by 30%, boost Measured/Managed tier
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.
Check out these other Gradum.io Standards Comparison Pages
PCI DSS vs EMAS
Discover PCI DSS vs EMAS: cybersecurity gold standard for payments meets EU eco-management scheme. Key differences, compliance strategies, and business impacts—read now!
ITIL vs ISO 41001
ITIL vs ISO 41001: Compare top frameworks for ITSM excellence & facility mgmt. Align IT services w/ business via ITIL 4 SVS or optimize FM sustainability w/ ISO 41001. Discover key diffs now!
POPIA vs ISO 14064
POPIA vs ISO 14064: Compare SA's privacy law with GHG standards. Master compliance gaps, data safeguards & emission reporting for risk-free ops. Dive in!