March 23, 2026

Hi there,

As spring gets underway, so does a critical countdown for companies handling minors’ data. The updated COPPA Rule comes into effect on April 22, 2026 —just one month away. Compliance is no longer a future consideration—it’s an immediate priority.

At the same time, momentum is building globally—from COPPA 2.0 advancing in Congress to increasing expectations around age assurance and child safety worldwide. The direction is clear: age awareness, verifiable consent, and strong governance are becoming baseline requirements.

In this issue: new U.S. state laws on the rise, key enforcement signals, the UK’s accelerating push for age verification, Brazil’s new restrictions on minors’ social media access—and what it all means for your organization right now.

United States:

US appeals court voids much of injunction against California's Age-Appropriate Design Code (AADC) (Reuters) Read more >

US Energy and Commerce Committee advances KIDS Act to full House vote (IAPP) Read more >

Senate Passes COPPA 2.0 Prohibiting Ads Targeting Minors Under 17 (MediaPost) Read more >

Trump administration proposes new AI regulation, warns states against interference (Crowell) Read more > 

Maryland's AI Toy Safety Act: State-Level Regulation Fills the Federal Void on AI in Children's Products (Crowell) Read more > 

Kids digital safety bills finding favor with lawmakers in Georgia, Kentucky, and Arizona (Transparency Coalition) Read more >

New York Is Moving to Shield Kids From Online Predators and Scams (Altitudes) Read more >

Ohio lawmakers work to close loophole in state’s age verification law for adult websites (13 News) Read more >

Landmark trial in New Mexico to decide whether Meta misled users about children's safety risks (ABC News) Read more >

Court signals NetChoice faces tougher road on age check laws (Biometric Update) Read more >

What Is the YouTube Addiction Lawsuit in 2026? (SOKOLOVE LAW) Read more >

A.I. Incites a New Wave of Grieving Parents Fighting for Online Safety (The New York Times) Read more >

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Europe & UK:

MPs reject call for under-16s social media ban, backing more flexible powers? (BBC) Read more >

4chan fined £450,000 for not protecting children from online pornography (Ofcom) Read more >

Keep underage children off your platforms, Ofcom tells tech firms (Ofcom) Read more >

ICO's open letter to social media and video sharing platforms on strengthening age assurance (ICO) Read more >

Video Games With Loot Boxes Will Now Have a 16 Age Rating Across Europe as Part of Huge PEGI Shakeup (IGN) Read more > 

UK Children’s Safety: the age-gates are coming – why all internet services should be acting now (Bird & Bird) Read more >

Protecting and empowering children and young people online (European Commission) Read more > 

EU set to ban AI nudification apps in wake of Grok scandal (Politico) Read more > 

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Other News:

Brazil Starts To Restrict Minors' Access To Social Media (Barrons) Read more >

Will Japan follow Australia’s lead and ban children from social media? (South China Morning Post) Read more >

The UN principles shaping child online safety regulation (Pinsent Masons) Read more >

Age checks in the app store: Can they keep children off social media? (Euronews) Read more >

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FTC Makes Clear its Position on Age Verification

— What it Means for Your Business

The FTC recently issued an enforcement policy statement on how the agency views the use of age verification technologies under COPPA, signaling growing support for age verification as part of protecting children online. But with that clarity comes responsibility. Companies must implement age verification with strict safeguards and be prepared to meet full COPPA obligations once a child is identified.

In our latest blog, we break down what the policy allows, the guardrails that still apply, and what organizations should do now.

Read the full blog >

COPPA 2.0: A Shift in Teen Data Control

The proposed COPPA 2.0 law expands protections for teens—but gives them primary control over their data. What does that mean for parents and platforms? 

As the bill moves forward, important questions are emerging about consent, oversight, and digital responsibility.

👉 Read more on what this means for families and platforms.