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LOS ANGELES—The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has issued a new policy paper recommending that digital platforms operating in the United States implement age-verification measures in line with the federal Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA).
Released Wednesday, the document is framed as an “enforcement policy statement promoting the adoption of age-verification technology.” It positions age-gating as a practical safeguard aimed at limiting minors’ exposure to potentially harmful or restricted material, including pornography. The statement follows remarks made weeks earlier by FTC Chair Andrew Ferguson, who voiced support for age-verification tools during a public seminar examining the technology.
The workshop drew attention in part because adult-industry stakeholders were not included among panel participants. One of the few critical perspectives came from a representative of the libertarian-leaning Cato Institute, who questioned age verification as a regulatory solution. Beyond that dissent, the policy statement broadly endorses the deployment of age-verification tools across the internet, extending from adult platforms to mainstream social media services that host explicit content, such as Reddit and X.
“Age verification can play a critical role in protecting children online and helping parents as they monitor their children’s online activities,” the document reads.
The paper also states that the Commission “will not exercise its enforcement discretion” under COPPA, which restricts online services from collecting personal information from children under 13 without parental consent. The rationale, according to the statement, is to “encourage the use of robust age-verification mechanisms.”
It adds, “In the coming months, the Commission intends to initiate a review of the COPPA Rule to address age-verification mechanisms.”
Questions remain about how the policy will play out in practice. Critics point to the possibility that prioritizing age-verification adoption could divert regulatory attention from risks tied to the technology itself, including data security failures. Breaches involving age-verification providers have already been reported, affecting systems connected to a vendor used by Discord and the developer behind Louisiana’s digital ID wallet application.
Historically, COPPA enforcement actions have focused on the improper collection, use or disclosure of personal data belonging to children under 13 — particularly in cases involving hacking incidents or data leaks. Under the approach outlined in the new policy statement, the FTC signals that enforcement tied to COPPA violations may be less likely when age-verification tools are actively used to determine a user’s age.
Policy papers rarely feel dramatic in the moment. Still, this one lands with a quiet implication: the internet’s next chapter may hinge not just on what platforms host, but on how they decide who gets through the door.
