Users must be at least 18 to create an account and agree to these terms. Parents or legal guardians may submit samples on behalf of minors, and legally authorized representatives may submit on behalf of other individuals.
This analysis describes what 23andMe's agreement states, permits, or reserves. It does not constitute a legal determination about enforceability. Regulatory applicability and practical outcomes may vary by jurisdiction, enforcement context, and individual circumstances. Read our methodology
The clause establishes gatekeeping requirements for service access and sample processing. It allocates responsibility for legal authorization to the account holder and creates a contractual condition that sample submission constitutes representation of authority to provide that particular genetic material to 23andMe.
Interpretive note: The adequacy of parental consent for minor sample submission under the data protection laws of each served jurisdiction is uncertain, particularly where national law imposes additional requirements for processing children's sensitive genetic data.
If you are a parent submitting a genetic sample for a minor child, you are personally agreeing to all terms on that child's behalf, including any data use and research participation provisions. The child's genetic data may be used under the same terms as adult user data, subject to applicable law.
How other platforms handle this
Except as set forth below, or as otherwise approved by us, the services are for your personal, non-commercial use unless you enter into a separate agreement with us for your commercial use.
You may not display any personal contact, banking, or peer-to-peer payment information, whether in relation to you or any other person (for example, names, home addresses or postcodes, telephone numbers, email addresses, URLs, credit/debit card...)
You agree that Promotional Codes: (a) must be used in a lawful manner; (b) must be used for the intended audience and purpose; (c) may not be duplicated, sold or transferred in any manner...
"You are at least 18 years old; Any sample you provide to 23andMe is either your own, or the sample of a minor for whom you are a parent or legal guardian, or the sample of a person for whom you are a legally authorized representative.Excerpt from 23andMe's Terms of Service
(1) REGULATORY LANDSCAPE: This provision engages COPPA in the US (though the US has a separate version), and equivalent child and minor data protection frameworks in served jurisdictions, including Australia's Privacy Act provisions on children, …
Enforcement risk, jurisdiction flags, contract triggers, and due diligence action items.
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The clause establishes gatekeeping requirements for service access and sample processing. It allocates responsibility for legal authorization to the account holder and creates a contractual condition that sample submission constitutes representation of authority to provide that particular genetic material to 23andMe.
If you are a parent submitting a genetic sample for a minor child, you are personally agreeing to all terms on that child's behalf, including any data use and research participation provisions. The child's genetic data may be used under the same terms as adult user data, subject to applicable law.
ConductAtlas has identified this type of provision across 281 platforms. See the full comparison.
No. ConductAtlas is an independent monitoring service. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by 23andMe.