The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has made clear that protecting children’s privacy is now a top enforcement priority under its new leadership. Recent statements from FTC Commissioner Melissa Holyoak reinforce that businesses handling children’s data should prepare for heightened regulatory scrutiny.

Speaking at the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP) Global Privacy Summit, Commissioner Holyoak emphasized that children’s privacy remains a significant enforcement priority for the FTC. Central to this renewed focus is the enforcement of the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), with the agency already advancing significant updates to the rule.

The FTC is not the only regulatory body focusing on children’s privacy. Also speaking at the IAPP Global Privacy Summit, many representatives of state regulatory bodies focused on enforcing state data protection laws, similarly echoed the desire to focus on higher-risk activities. The focus includes paying closer attention to governing the processing of teens’ personal information online as well as practices related to the sale of data from minors.

Businesses that collect, use, or share children’s data should act now to evaluate and strengthen their privacy practices to mitigate regulatory risk.