COPPA Is Back In The Saddle: FTC Publishes Final Rule For Children's Privacy

Just as we're getting ready to pick out our cowboy boots and bolo ties for Beyoncé's Cowboy Carter Tour, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC or Commission) published its long-awaited finalized amendments (Final Rule) to the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) Rule. The rule's last refresh came in 2012, back when "Call Me Maybe" by Carly Rae Jepsen was the hottest song on the radio. Beyoncé has dropped six albums since then – including a cultural reset and a country curveball – so it's only fitting that one of the most important laws regulating children's privacy finally receives an update too.

The Final Rule's publication comes at a time when the FTC is signaling it's ready to lasso and pull in companies based on consumer privacy and security interests. Enforcement of children's privacy in particular is one FTC commissioner's top priority. The Final Rule is effective June 23, 2025, 60 days after its publication. However, companies have until April 22,