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The agreement prohibits customers from using the Services in applications that qualify as websites or online services directed to children under COPPA, and from using the Services for High Risk Activities as defined in the agreement.
This analysis describes what Google Maps'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 license restriction that prohibits COPPA-covered applications from integrating Google Maps Platform services, which may affect edtech platforms, children's entertainment services, and other applications that may qualify as directed to children under the FTC's COPPA Rule. Non-compliance constitutes a license breach that can trigger immediate suspension.
Interpretive note: The COPPA definition of a service directed to children involves a multi-factor FTC analysis; whether a specific application qualifies requires case-by-case legal evaluation, particularly for mixed-audience platforms.
The updated terms establish a broader definition of activities that are subject to heightened restrictions under the Google Maps Platform Terms of Service. Previously, the definition enumerated specific high-risk categories. The revised language now encompasses any use case where service failure could reasonably be expected to result in death, serious personal injury, or severe environmental or property damage, and explicitly identifies weaponry as a restricted application. Developers and organizations using Google Maps for restricted purposes should review their use cases against the new definition to ensure continued compliance.
View change record →Under this clause, applications that qualify as directed to children under COPPA are contractually prohibited from using Google Maps Platform, which limits the availability of Maps-integrated features in child-directed digital products. The definition of child-directed services under COPPA is determined by FTC regulatory guidance and may require legal evaluation for mixed-audience platforms.
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"Customer will not: ... (c) access or use the Services: (i) for High Risk Activities; ... (vi) in a Customer Application that would be deemed to be a "Website or online service directed to children" under the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA).Excerpt from Google Maps's Platform Terms of Service
(1) REGULATORY LANDSCAPE: This provision directly engages the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) and the FTC's COPPA Rule, which prohibits collection of personal information from children under 13 without verified parental consent. The FTC is the primary enforcement authority for COPPA. The prohibition in this license restriction aligns with the FTC's guidance that online services directed to children must implement heightened privacy protections for users under 13. (2) GOVERNANCE EXPOSURE: High for customers operating in the edtech, children's entertainment, family services, or gaming sectors. The COPPA determination of whether an application is directed to children involves a multi-factor analysis under the FTC's Rule, and mixed-audience platforms may face uncertainty about whether this restriction applies. A determination that a Maps-integrated application qualifies as child-directed but was used in violation of this restriction would constitute a simultaneous license breach and potential COPPA violation. (3) JURISDICTION FLAGS: This restriction applies to U.S. COPPA, but EEA customers should also evaluate GDPR Article 8 requirements for children's consent and the UK Children's Code (Age Appropriate Design Code), which may impose similar or stricter requirements. (4) CONTRACT AND VENDOR IMPLICATIONS: Customers in adjacent sectors (general-audience platforms that may attract child users, school-related applications, family applications) should conduct a legal assessment of whether their application qualifies as child-directed under the FTC's multi-factor test before deploying Google Maps Platform integrations. This restriction should be flagged in vendor onboarding checklists for edtech and children's media companies. (5) COMPLIANCE CONSIDERATIONS: Compliance teams should document the legal basis for concluding that their application is not directed to children under COPPA if they operate in any adjacent sector. This documentation should be maintained as part of the customer's Maps Platform compliance record and reviewed when application features or target audiences change.
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This provision establishes a license restriction that prohibits COPPA-covered applications from integrating Google Maps Platform services, which may affect edtech platforms, children's entertainment services, and other applications that may qualify as directed to children under the FTC's COPPA Rule. Non-compliance constitutes a license breach that can trigger immediate suspension.
Under this clause, applications that qualify as directed to children under COPPA are contractually prohibited from using Google Maps Platform, which limits the availability of Maps-integrated features in child-directed digital products. The definition of child-directed services under COPPA is determined by FTC regulatory guidance and may require legal evaluation for mixed-audience platforms.
No. ConductAtlas is an independent monitoring service. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Google Maps.