Users under 13 are prohibited from using the Service. Users between 13 and 18 may access the Service only with parental or guardian approval. Canva states it does not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13.
This analysis describes what Canva'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
This provision establishes the minimum age threshold for Service use and conditions access for minors between 13 and 18 on parental approval. The provision engages COPPA (Children's Online Privacy Protection Act) for US users under 13, and similar child privacy frameworks in other jurisdictions, including the EU's GDPR provisions regarding children's data.
Interpretive note: The parental approval requirement for users aged 13-17 is stated as a condition but the Terms do not describe the technical or procedural mechanism by which such approval is obtained or verified, creating uncertainty about compliance with COPPA and equivalent international frameworks.
The updated Terms of Use no longer include language describing Canva's use of non-essential cookies for personalization, advertising, and analytics, nor do they reference how users can manage cookie preferences. Previously, the terms explicitly stated Canva would use cookies 'to improve and personalise your visit, tailor ads you see from us on Canva and partner sites, and to analyse our website's performance, but only if you accept.' This disclosure and consent mechanism have been removed from the main terms document. Users seeking information about cookie practices and consent options may need to consult Canva's separate cookie policy or privacy disclosures.
View change record →The updated Terms of Use no longer include the prior disclosure that Canva uses non-essential cookies for personalization, targeted advertising, and analytics, and no longer reference a cookie policy or mechanisms to manage those preferences within the Terms document itself. This does not necessarily mean Canva has stopped using such cookies, but the specific disclosure and choice mechanism previously stated in the Terms have been removed. Users who rely on the Terms of Use as a primary source for cookie disclosures will not find that information in the updated version.
View change record →Added explicit statement about not knowingly collecting personal information from under-13s; changed requirement from 'consent and supervision' to 'approval only'; replaced attestation clause with parent/guardian notification mechanism.
View full change record →The agreement prohibits users under 13 from accessing the Service and requires parental or guardian approval for users aged 13 to 17. Parents or guardians who believe a child under 13 has registered without consent are directed to contact Canva to request removal of the account and associated personal information.
How other platforms handle this
Our Services are not directed to children under 13. If you learn that anyone younger than 13 has unlawfully provided us with personal data, please contact us at privacy@medium.com.
The Service is intended for general audiences and is not directed to children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you are a parent or guardian and believe that your child under the age of 13 has provided us with personal information without your cons...
To access and use the Services, you must be at least the age of majority in the state, province, or territory where you live or at least 18 years of age. If you are under the age of 13, you may not use the Services and you should not be visiting the Sites or using the Services.
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"The Service is not directed to children under 13 and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you are under the age of 18, you may use the Service only with the approval of your parent or guardian. If you are a parent or guardian and you are aware that your child has provided us with personal information without your consent, please contact us.— Excerpt from Canva's Canva Terms of Use
REGULATORY LANDSCAPE: This provision implicates COPPA for US users under 13, which requires verifiable parental consent before collecting personal information from children under 13 and mandates deletion of such data upon request. The EU GDPR sets the digital consent age at 16 by default, though member states may lower this to 13, creating variation in the minimum consent age for data processing across the EU. The UK's Age Appropriate Design Code (Children's Code) imposes additional requirements for services that may be accessed by minors. The FTC is the primary COPPA enforcement authority in the US. GOVERNANCE EXPOSURE: Medium. The parental approval requirement for users aged 13-17 is stated as a condition of use but the Terms do not specify a technical age verification mechanism, which may create compliance gaps under COPPA and equivalent international frameworks. Educational deployments of Canva for schools may have separate age-related terms under the Canva for Education agreement. JURISDICTION FLAGS: EU member states with a digital consent age above 13 (up to 16) create heightened exposure for Canva with respect to users in those jurisdictions. The UK Children's Code creates additional obligations for services likely to be accessed by users under 18, including default privacy settings and data minimization requirements. California's Age-Appropriate Design Code Act may also engage for California minor users. CONTRACT AND VENDOR IMPLICATIONS: Educational institutions deploying Canva for students under 18 should confirm whether their use is governed by the Canva for Education terms, which may include separate COPPA and FERPA compliance provisions, and whether the standard Terms of Use apply to their student user population. COMPLIANCE CONSIDERATIONS: Organizations deploying Canva in contexts where minor users are likely, such as educational institutions, marketing agencies, or youth organizations, should audit their onboarding workflows to ensure compliance with age verification requirements. Parental consent mechanisms should be documented and tested. Data mapping should identify whether personal data of minor users is collected and, if so, whether deletion procedures are in place.
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This provision establishes the minimum age threshold for Service use and conditions access for minors between 13 and 18 on parental approval. The provision engages COPPA (Children's Online Privacy Protection Act) for US users under 13, and similar child privacy frameworks in other jurisdictions, including the EU's GDPR provisions regarding children's data.
The agreement prohibits users under 13 from accessing the Service and requires parental or guardian approval for users aged 13 to 17. Parents or guardians who believe a child under 13 has registered without consent are directed to contact Canva to request removal of the account and associated personal information.
ConductAtlas has identified this type of provision across 13 platforms. See the full comparison.
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