FTC Submits COPPA Report To Congress, Extends Comment Deadline For October "Stealth Advertising" Workshop

On August 24, 2022, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC or Commission) submitted a report to the Congressional Committees on Appropriations detailing current resources and personnel dedicated to COPPA enforcement, the number of COPPA violation investigations over the past five years, and the types of relief obtained in completed investigations. The report was submitted in response to a request by Congress under the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2022.

The FTC report affirms that protecting children's privacy remains a Commission priority. The COPPA program is served by 9-11 full-time, dedicated staff members; staff from other divisions, such as the Bureau of Consumer Protection's Division of Privacy and Identity Protection, also work on COPPA issues. Between May 1, 2017 and May 1, 2022, the FTC opened 80 investigations of potential COPPA violations. Over the last five years, the Commission has expanded its remedies, such as requiring WW International/Kurbo to