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California adopts “first-in-nation” act to safeguard children’s online data and privacy

Privacy, Cyber Risk & Data Security State Issues State Legislation Consumer Protection California COPPA CPPA State Attorney General Enforcement

Privacy, Cyber Risk & Data Security

On September 15, the California governor signed into law the California Age-Appropriate Design Code Act (the Act), calling it the “first-in-nation” bill to protect children’s online data and privacy. AB 2273 establishes new legal requirements for businesses that provide online products and services that are “likely to be accessed by children” under 18 years of age based on certain factors. These factors include whether the feature is: (i) “directed to children,” as defined by the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA); (ii) “determined, based on competent and reliable evidence regarding audience composition, to be routinely accessed by a significant number of children”; (iii) advertised to children; (iv) is substantially similar to, or the same as, an online service, product, or feature routinely accessed by a significant number of children; (v) designed to appeal to children; or (vi) determined to be, based on internal company research, significantly accessed by children. Notably, in contrast to COPPA, the Act more broadly defines “child” as a consumer who is under the age of 18 (COPPA defines “child” as an individual under 13 years of age).

The Act also outlines specific requirements for covered businesses, including:

  • Businesses must configure all default privacy settings offered by the online service, product, or feature to one that offers a high level of privacy, “unless the business can demonstrate a compelling reason that a different setting is in the best interests of children”;
  • Businesses must “concisely” and “prominently” provide clear privacy information, terms of service, policies, and community standards suited to the age of the children likely to access the online service, product, or feature;
  • Prior to offering any new online services, products, or features that are likely to be accessed by children before July 1, 2024, businesses must complete a Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) on or before the same date. Businesses must also document any “risk of material detriment to children” that arises from the DPIA, create a mitigation plan, and, upon written request, provide the DPIA to the state attorney general;
  • Businesses must “[e]stimate the age of child users with a reasonable level of certainty appropriate to the risks that arise from the data management practices of the business or apply the privacy and data protections afforded to children to all consumers”;
  • Should an online service, product, or feature allow a child’s parent, guardian, or any other consumer to monitor the child’s online activity or track the child’s location, businesses must provide an obvious signal to the child when the child is being monitored or tracked;
  • Businesses must “[e]nforce published terms, policies and community standards established by the business, including, but not limited to, privacy policies and those concerning children”; and
  • Businesses must provide prominent, accessible, and responsive tools to help children (or their parents/guardians) exercise their privacy rights and report concerns.

Additionally, covered businesses are prohibited from using a child’s personal information (i) in a way that the business knows, or has reason to know, is materially detrimental to a child’s physical health, mental health, or well-being; or (ii) for any reason other than a reason for which the personal information was collected, unless a business can show a compelling reason that using the personal information is in the “best interests of children.” The Act also places restrictions on profiling, collecting, selling, or sharing children’s geolocation data, or using dark patterns to encourage children to provide personal information beyond what is reasonably expected.

The Act also establishes the California Children’s Data Protection Working Group, which will study and report to the legislature best practices for implementing the Act, and will also, among other things, evaluate ways to leverage the expertise of the California Privacy Protection Agency in the long-term development of data privacy policies that affect the privacy, rights, and safety of children online. The state attorney general is tasked with enforcing the Act and may seek an injunction or civil penalty against any business that violates its provisions. Violators may be subject to a penalty of up to $2,500 per affected child for each negligent violation, and up to $7,500 per affected child for each intentional violation; however, businesses may be provided a 90-day cure period if they have achieved “substantial compliance” with the Act’s assessment and mitigation requirements.

The Act takes effect July 1, 2024.