GOAT does not intend its platform for users under 18 and states it will delete any personal information it discovers was collected from someone under 18.
This analysis describes what GOAT'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 restriction reflects legal obligations under COPPA for children under 13, but GOAT's policy extends the restriction to all users under 18, which is a broader threshold than federal law strictly requires, though enforcement depends on GOAT's ability to verify user age.
Interpretive note: The policy does not describe what technical measures GOAT uses to detect or prevent under-18 account creation, leaving the effectiveness of this restriction operationally uncertain.
Users under 18 are not intended to use GOAT's platform, and if GOAT discovers a minor has an account, it states it will delete that minor's personal information; however, the policy does not describe age verification mechanisms.
How other platforms handle this
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...
enableGpcSdk: true, gpcSetting: { privacyPolicyLink: '/Privacy-Security-Policy-a-282.html' }
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"Our Services are not directed to individuals under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under the age of 18. If we become aware that we have collected personal information from a child under the age of 18, we will take steps to delete that information.— Excerpt from GOAT's GOAT Privacy Policy
REGULATORY LANDSCAPE: The Children's Online Privacy Protection Act requires verifiable parental consent before collecting personal information from children under 13. GOAT's policy extends its restriction to under-18 users, which goes beyond COPPA's threshold but aligns with some state laws and platform-level policies. The FTC enforces COPPA. Several states are considering or have enacted laws restricting data collection from minors between 13 and 17, including the California Age Appropriate Design Code, which may impose additional design and data minimization obligations. GOVERNANCE EXPOSURE: Medium. The policy's 'knowingly collect' language is standard but creates exposure if the platform lacks technical mechanisms to detect or prevent minor account creation. Regulatory scrutiny of platforms' minor protection practices has increased, and a 'we do not knowingly collect' statement without supporting technical controls may face FTC scrutiny. JURISDICTION FLAGS: The California Age Appropriate Design Code imposes design requirements for platforms likely to be accessed by users under 18, going beyond a simple prohibition on collection. The UK Age Appropriate Design Code similarly requires privacy-protective defaults for services likely to be accessed by children. GOAT's global platform presence creates exposure under both frameworks if the service is reasonably accessible to minors. CONTRACT AND VENDOR IMPLICATIONS: If advertising technology or analytics vendors receive data from GOAT users and GOAT cannot guarantee all users are over 18, vendor agreements should include representations about COPPA compliance and data handling restrictions for any data that may relate to minors. COMPLIANCE CONSIDERATIONS: Legal teams should assess whether GOAT has implemented technical age-screening or verification mechanisms sufficient to support the 'knowingly' standard, and whether the platform's design and default settings meet California and UK Age Appropriate Design Code requirements. A data protection impact assessment for minor user exposure may be warranted given the platform's broad accessibility.
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This restriction reflects legal obligations under COPPA for children under 13, but GOAT's policy extends the restriction to all users under 18, which is a broader threshold than federal law strictly requires, though enforcement depends on GOAT's ability to verify user age.
Users under 18 are not intended to use GOAT's platform, and if GOAT discovers a minor has an account, it states it will delete that minor's personal information; however, the policy does not describe age verification mechanisms.
ConductAtlas has identified this type of provision across 9 platforms. See the full comparison.
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