Ancestry's services are not intended for children under 13, and Ancestry states it does not knowingly collect data from children under 13 without parental consent.
This analysis describes what Ancestry'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
Family history and DNA services may appeal to younger users or be used with family involvement. Understanding the age restriction and parental consent requirements is important for families using these services.
The updated Privacy Statement no longer displays a dedicated 'Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information' link in the footer, which was previously accessible to California residents under CCPA requirements. This link allowed users to exercise data-sharing opt-out rights. The footer now lists 'Consumer Health Privacy' as a separate item but does not explicitly direct users to their CCPA controls. California residents may need to locate their opt-out rights through alternative navigation paths on the Ancestry site.
View change record →The updated privacy policy removes the 'Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information' link from the footer navigation. This link previously provided direct access to Ancestry's data-sharing opt-out mechanism, which is a required disclosure under California's CCPA. While the removal does not eliminate the opt-out right itself, it may make the opt-out control less easily discoverable from the privacy policy page. Affected users may need to locate the opt-out mechanism through alternate navigation or search methods.
View change record →The updated Privacy Statement clarifies what uses of Ancestry services are permitted and prohibited, establishes that photo face-grouping in your gallery requires your express consent, and introduces SMS messaging as a communication channel for future opt-in communications. The statement now covers Ancestry, AncestryDNA, and Related Brands under a unified framework while noting that other services operated by the company use separate privacy statements. The removal of 'uploaded DNA data' from the account creation section reflects a narrowing of that specific provision's scope, though genetic information processing remains described elsewhere in the policy. You can review the full updated statement to understand how your personal information will be processed and manage your communication preferences when SMS opt-ins become available.
View change record →Removal of COPPA compliance provisions and deletion procedures for children's data weakens legal protections for minors.
View full change record →Children under 13 are not permitted to use Ancestry services without parental consent, and parents who believe a child's data has been collected can request deletion by contacting privacy@ancestry.com.
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"Our services are not directed to children under the age of 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13 without parental consent. If we learn that we have collected personal information from a child under 13 without parental consent, we will delete that information as soon as possible. Parents or guardians who believe we may have inadvertently collected information from a child under 13 may contact us at privacy@ancestry.com.Excerpt from Ancestry's Privacy Statement
(1) REGULATORY LANDSCAPE: This provision engages the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), enforced by the FTC.
Enforcement risk, jurisdiction flags, contract triggers, and due diligence action items.
Ad personalization controls removed. Contact scanning added. Advertiser data partnerships quietly dropped. A timeline of every change.
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Family history and DNA services may appeal to younger users or be used with family involvement. Understanding the age restriction and parental consent requirements is important for families using these services.
Children under 13 are not permitted to use Ancestry services without parental consent, and parents who believe a child's data has been collected can request deletion by contacting privacy@ancestry.com.
ConductAtlas has identified this type of provision across 290 platforms. See the full comparison.
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