The Terms prohibit users under 13 from registering or using Coursera's services. Users between 13 and the age of majority in their jurisdiction may use the platform only with parental or guardian involvement, and that adult must agree to be bound by the Terms.
This analysis describes what Coursera'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 a minimum age threshold of 13 aligned with COPPA requirements and imposes parental involvement requirements for users under the age of majority, which varies by jurisdiction. The document places compliance responsibility on the parent or guardian who agrees to the Terms on behalf of a minor user.
Interpretive note: The age of majority varies by jurisdiction, and EU/EEA digital consent age thresholds may differ from the 13-year minimum stated in the Terms, creating variable compliance requirements across geographies.
The updated terms remove the explicit guarantee that Coursera provides a 7-day free trial for subscriptions. The revised language states that 'certain subscriptions may come with a free trial period' without specifying a default duration or which subscriptions include trials. This creates operational uncertainty for users: trial availability and length are no longer stated in the main terms but are now delegated entirely to individual checkout pages. Users evaluating whether a subscription includes a trial must now visit the specific product page rather than relying on the standard terms.
View change record →New provision establishes age restrictions and parental consent requirements, likely to comply with COPPA and other child protection regulations.
View full change record →Under this clause, users under 13 are prohibited from the platform, and users between 13 and the age of majority in their jurisdiction may access services only with a parent or guardian who accepts the Terms. The agreement holds the consenting adult responsible for compliance with the Terms for the minor's account activity.
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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"Our Services are not directed to children under the age of 13. If you are under the age of 13, you may not register for or use our Services. If you are 13 years of age or older but under the age of majority in your jurisdiction, you should review these Terms with your parent or guardian to make sure that you and your parent or guardian understand these Terms. If you are under the age of majority in your jurisdiction, you may use our Services only with the involvement of a parent or legal guardian who agrees to be bound by these Terms.— Excerpt from Coursera's Coursera Terms of Use
REGULATORY LANDSCAPE: COPPA applies to online services directed to or knowingly collecting personal information from children under 13, enforced by the FTC. The Terms' age restriction aligns with COPPA's minimum age threshold. For users between 13 and 18, FERPA may apply in contexts where Coursera operates on behalf of an educational institution with enrolled students. State-level student privacy laws, including California's Student Online Personal Information Protection Act (SOPIPA), may also apply. GOVERNANCE EXPOSURE: Medium. The effectiveness of age verification mechanisms on the platform is not specified in the Terms, which means the prohibition on under-13 access depends on self-reporting. Institutional deployments involving minors should assess whether additional verification or parental consent workflows are required. JURISDICTION FLAGS: The age of majority varies by jurisdiction, creating variable compliance requirements for users in different countries. EU/EEA data protection law sets digital consent age at 16 in most member states (or 13 with member state exceptions), which may create a higher compliance threshold than these Terms establish for EU minors. CONTRACT AND VENDOR IMPLICATIONS: Educational institutions deploying Coursera for students under 18 should assess whether a separate data processing agreement, FERPA-compliant school official designation, or parental consent workflow is required. The Terms' parental involvement requirement may not substitute for institution-level FERPA compliance obligations. COMPLIANCE CONSIDERATIONS: Institutional compliance teams should assess whether the Terms' age restriction is operationally enforced through platform mechanisms, review any applicable state student privacy law requirements, and confirm that enterprise agreements address FERPA school official status for student data handling.
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This provision establishes a minimum age threshold of 13 aligned with COPPA requirements and imposes parental involvement requirements for users under the age of majority, which varies by jurisdiction. The document places compliance responsibility on the parent or guardian who agrees to the Terms on behalf of a minor user.
Under this clause, users under 13 are prohibited from the platform, and users between 13 and the age of majority in their jurisdiction may access services only with a parent or guardian who accepts the Terms. The agreement holds the consenting adult responsible for compliance with the Terms for the minor's account activity.
ConductAtlas has identified this type of provision across 13 platforms. See the full comparison.
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