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Users below the minimum account management age must obtain parental or guardian consent to use a Google Account, and parents or guardians who permit their child's use accept these terms and bear responsibility for the child's activity on Google services.
This analysis describes what Google'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 places parental responsibility for minor users' Google service activity on parents or guardians who permit that use, which has implications for content licensing, data processing, and terms compliance obligations where a minor submits content or engages in conduct that would otherwise be attributable to an adult user.
Interpretive note: The minimum age for account management varies by country and service, and applicable age of digital consent thresholds under GDPR vary by EU member state, creating jurisdiction-specific variation in how this provision applies.
The updated terms materially reduce service quality commitments. The revised language replaces Google's prior commitment to provide services using "reasonable skill and care" with an explicit as-is disclaimer stating that services are provided "without any express or implied warranties" unless stated in service-specific terms. The updated terms now explicitly apply to all users whether signed in to a Google account or not, extending their scope. Google also clarifies that its Privacy Policy applies to service use. These changes establish that users have fewer contractual recourse options if services fail to function as expected, except where service-specific additional terms or applicable law provide otherwise.
View change record →Under this clause, parents or legal guardians who allow their children to use Google services are themselves bound by these terms and are responsible for their child's activity. The specific minimum age varies by country and service, with additional age requirements noted in service-specific additional terms.
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"If you're under the age required to manage your own Google Account, you must have your parent or legal guardian's permission to use a Google Account. Please have your parent or legal guardian read these terms with you. If you're a parent or legal guardian, and you allow your child to use the services, then these terms apply to you and you're responsible for your child's activity on the services. Some Google services have additional age requirements as described in their service-specific additional terms and policies.Excerpt from Google's Terms of Service
(1) REGULATORY LANDSCAPE: The age requirements provision implicates COPPA in the United States, which requires verifiable parental consent for collection of personal information from children under 13. Google's service-specific terms and Privacy Policy contain the primary COPPA compliance mechanisms, but this provision's placement of parental responsibility has operational significance for how consent is structured. The EU's GDPR establishes member-state-specific age of digital consent thresholds, which may affect the minimum age applicable to EU users. (2) GOVERNANCE EXPOSURE: Medium. The parental responsibility clause makes parents and guardians contractually bound by these terms upon permitting their child's use, including the content license and indemnification provisions. This may have unintended consequences for parents who are unaware of the scope of the terms they accept on behalf of their child's activity. (3) JURISDICTION FLAGS: COPPA applies to Google services directed at children under 13 in the United States, and enforcement by the FTC is relevant. EU member states have varying ages of digital consent under GDPR, ranging from 13 to 16, which affects the applicability of parental consent requirements across the EU. (4) CONTRACT AND VENDOR IMPLICATIONS: Educational institutions and organizations deploying Google services to minors should assess whether these age and parental responsibility provisions are compatible with FERPA, COPPA, and applicable state student privacy laws, and whether Google's enterprise education offerings (Google Workspace for Education) provide separate compliance frameworks. (5) COMPLIANCE CONSIDERATIONS: Organizations deploying Google services in contexts involving minors should confirm whether applicable law requires additional consent mechanisms beyond those described in these consumer terms, and should review Google's service-specific additional terms for the relevant products.
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This provision places parental responsibility for minor users' Google service activity on parents or guardians who permit that use, which has implications for content licensing, data processing, and terms compliance obligations where a minor submits content or engages in conduct that would otherwise be attributable to an adult user.
Under this clause, parents or legal guardians who allow their children to use Google services are themselves bound by these terms and are responsible for their child's activity. The specific minimum age varies by country and service, with additional age requirements noted in service-specific additional terms.
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