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COPPA · COPPA-312-4A-WEBSITE-NOTICE

COPPA 16 CFR 312.4(a), (d) - Assess and implement online notice placement and clarity

Assess applicable notice duties and place a prominent, clearly labelled notice link at the required screens and collection points

HIGHProcess dutyTransparencyBinding regulationIn forceApplies from 22 April 2026

Where this comes from

Provision: 16 CFR 312.4(a), (d) - Assess and implement online notice placement and clarity

Instrument: Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA)

Citation: 16 CFR 312.4(a), (d) and 312.5(c)(7)-(9); 90 FR 16918 (22 April 2025), effective 23 June 2025, general compliance date 22 April 2026

Text version: 16 CFR 312.4 and 312.5(c), eCFR displayed through 3 September 2026, retrieved 6 September 2026; 2025 final rule, 90 FR 16918

Checked against the source: 6 September 2026

Read the official text ↗

Who it applies to

It applies when all of these are true:

  • COPPA assessed activity Q_COPPA_COVERED_ACTIVITY: YES

What engineering work it implies

Sample acceptance criteria Landfall generates for this obligation:

  • Document covered activity and the full conditions of any claimed 312.5(c) notice exception; unresolved facts remain for review.
  • Where online notice is required, provide a prominent, clearly labelled link on home/landing pages or screens and the separate children's area when applicable.
  • Map all collection areas and keep the notice link in close proximity to information requests; test supported screens and layouts.
  • Verify clear, understandable, complete wording without unrelated or contradictory material and reconcile the linked content with 312.4(d)(1)-(5).
  • Preserve attributable notice versions and synthetic/redacted placement evidence; app-store posting alone does not satisfy in-service placement.

Evidence an auditor expects

  • Assessment documentDocument review

    Notice assessment, contents and operational evidence

    Source-version and activity-specific notice assessment with implemented evidence: Document covered activity and the full conditions of any claimed 312.5(c) notice exception; unresolved facts remain for review. Where online notice is required, provide a prominent, clearly labelled link on home/landing pages or screens and the separate children's area when applicable. Map all collection areas and keep the notice link in close proximity to information requests; test supported screens and layouts. Verify clear, understandable, complete wording without unrelated or contradictory material and reconcile the linked content with 312.4(d)(1)-(5). Preserve attributable notice versions and synthetic/redacted placement evidence; app-store posting alone does not satisfy in-service placement. A generated task or DRAFT source is not consent, an exception determination or legal approval.

Questions people ask

Does COPPA 16 CFR 312.4(a), (d) - Assess and implement online notice placement and… apply to my service?
It applies when COPPA assessed activity Q_COPPA_COVERED_ACTIVITY: YES.
From when does this apply?
COPPA 16 CFR 312.4(a), (d) - Assess and implement online notice placement and… applies from 22 April 2026. Its current status is: in force.
What evidence does an auditor expect?
Notice assessment, contents and operational evidence.

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