Children's Online Privacy: A Parent's Plain-Language Guide to COPPA
What the law is about, what to look for in kids' games, and how KiddoZap handles data
What is COPPA?
The Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) is a United States law enforced by the Federal Trade Commission. It sets rules for websites and apps that are aimed at children under 13, or that know they are collecting information from children under 13. In general it limits what personal information can be collected and requires parental consent in many cases. This page is a general overview, not legal advice, and laws in your own country may differ.
What counts as personal information?
Under COPPA, personal information includes more than just a name. Typical examples are:
- Names, home addresses, email addresses and phone numbers.
- Precise location data.
- Photos, audio or video of a child.
- Persistent identifiers such as cookies or advertising IDs that can be used to track a child across sites.
How KiddoZap handles data
What we do
• There are no accounts, passwords or chat features on KiddoZap.
• Scores, stars and settings are saved in your own browser (local storage) on your device, not on our servers.
• We do not ask players for their name, email or location.
What you should know
• KiddoZap is supported by advertising. Google AdSense and its partners may use cookies on this site. Please read our Privacy Policy for details and for how to manage ad personalisation.
• We are a small independent site and we do not claim any official certification. If you have questions or concerns, write to support@kiddozap.com.
Five red flags in kids' games
- Forced sign-in: requiring a child to log in with a social account.
- Open chat with strangers: especially without moderation.
- Ads that look like game buttons: fake "Start" or "Download" buttons.
- Loot boxes and constant purchase prompts: mechanics that push children to spend money.
- A vague privacy policy: one that does not say what is collected or why.
Simple steps for parents
- Review the ad settings on your child's device or account and limit ad personalisation where possible.
- Stay nearby when younger children are online, and talk about not clicking on unknown buttons or ads.
- Read the privacy policy of any site or app your child uses regularly.
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