Parental Consent
Parental consent is a legal and ethical concept that requires permission from a parent or legal guardian for a minor (typically under 18) to engage in certain activities, such as using online services, participating in research, or accessing medical treatments. In technology and development contexts, it often relates to compliance with regulations like COPPA (Children's Online Privacy Protection Act) in the U.S. or GDPR-K (General Data Protection Regulation for children) in the EU, ensuring that apps, websites, or platforms handling children's data obtain verifiable parental approval.
Developers should learn about parental consent when building applications or services that may be used by minors, such as educational apps, social media platforms, or gaming sites, to avoid legal penalties and protect children's privacy. It is crucial for compliance with data protection laws like COPPA, which mandates parental consent for collecting personal information from children under 13, and for ethical design practices that prioritize user safety. Understanding this concept helps in implementing features like age verification, consent forms, and secure data handling to build trust and meet regulatory standards.