Who are COPPA players?

[WillntWoodnt]

Ive seen this term in some adopt or trade forum posts, context is confusing to me since some users completely do not allow interaction in that forum or that they are excused when it comes to rules in that post for a certain thing.
Thanks to anyone answering!

[WillntWoodnt]

Ohhh that makes sense, COPPA is also the abbreviation for that online child protection policy right? Just realised that now lol thank you for the answer!

[Snowseph]

COPPA is a US-only rule barring 13 or younger people from communicating in forum space, etc that would allow the minor to share personal information. so COPPA users on CS have limited access to many parts of CS, including the forums. this part of the rule specifically seems to apply to cs:

"Making personal information collected by an operator from a child publicly available in identifiable form by any means, including but not limited to a public posting through the Internet, or through a personal home page or screen posted on a Web site or online service; a pen pal service; an electronic mail service; a message board; or a chat room."
(from the text of rule, more info on COPPA here form the FTC)

it's a pretty ancient rule in the scheme of the internet, honestly don't see it referred to by name often anymore. most websites just bar 13 year olds all together.

[WillntWoodnt]

@snow
Tysm for the more in depth answer! After Phoenix responded I thought it was something to do with those laws