Ancestry's services are only for adults 18 and older — children under 18 are prohibited from creating accounts or submitting personal information.
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
Ancestry deals with genetic and sensitive family data, and setting the age limit at 18 (rather than COPPA's 13) reflects the sensitivity of the data involved and limits the company's regulatory exposure.
California residents who rely on the Terms and Conditions footer to find the option to request that Ancestry not sell or share their personal information will no longer see that link in that location…
Minors cannot legally use Ancestry's services or submit personal information; parents should be aware that a minor who signs up in violation of this restriction may have their account terminated and data deleted without notice.
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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. If we learn that we have collected the personal information of a child under 13, we will take steps to delete the information as soon as possible.
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"The Services are not directed at children under the age of 18. If you are under 18 years of age, you are not permitted to use our Services, submit any personal information to Ancestry, or otherwise engage with our Services.— Excerpt from Ancestry's Ancestry Terms and Conditions
REGULATORY FRAMEWORK: COPPA (15 U.S.C. §6501 et seq.) applies to online services directed at children under 13 and requires verifiable parental consent. Ancestry's 18+ restriction goes beyond COPPA's baseline, likely reflecting the sensitivity of genealogical and genetic data. The FTC enforces COPPA with penalties up to $51,744 per violation. State genetic information privacy laws (e.g., California Genetic Information Privacy Act) may impose additional restrictions on collection from minors.
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Ancestry deals with genetic and sensitive family data, and setting the age limit at 18 (rather than COPPA's 13) reflects the sensitivity of the data involved and limits the company's regulatory exposure.
Minors cannot legally use Ancestry's services or submit personal information; parents should be aware that a minor who signs up in violation of this restriction may have their account terminated and data deleted without notice.
No. ConductAtlas is an independent monitoring service. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Ancestry.