Medium's platform is not intended for children under 13, and if a child under 13 has created an account, users are asked to contact Medium's privacy team.
This analysis describes what Medium'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 Medium's COPPA compliance posture, but enforcement relies on user reporting rather than active age verification, which may be a meaningful gap in practice.
The updated terms expand a data collection warranty to apply to all personal information users provide to Medium, not limited to newsletter editor submissions. Users now represent and warrant that any personal information they submit has been lawfully collected and that all required notices and consents were obtained before collection. This means the warranty applies whether data is provided through newsletters, account profiles, submissions, or other Medium features. If a user provides personal information collected without proper notice or consent, they may be in breach of this representation.
View change record →The provision was substantially reframed from user attestation/warranty language to a safe-harbor statement about services not being directed at children, with a data breach notification provision replacing prior compliance warranties.
View full change record →Parents should be aware that Medium does not employ active age verification for account creation; if a minor under 13 has created an account, contacting privacy@medium.com is the designated reporting mechanism.
How other platforms handle this
Our services are restricted to users who are 18 years of age or older. We do not permit users under the age of 18 on our platform and we do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under 18. If you suspect that a user is under the age of 18, please use the reporting mechanism available...
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 13. If you learn that anyone younger than 13 has unlawfully provided us with personal data, please contact us at privacy@medium.com.— Excerpt from Medium's Medium Terms of Service
(1) REGULATORY LANDSCAPE: This provision is Medium's primary COPPA (Children's Online Privacy Protection Act) compliance statement. COPPA requires operators of websites directed to children under 13 to obtain verifiable parental consent before collecting personal information. The FTC is the primary enforcement authority for COPPA violations. Medium's self-description as 'not directed to children' is a standard COPPA compliance mechanism, but the absence of active age verification may be evaluated by the FTC against the full COPPA operator test. (2) GOVERNANCE EXPOSURE: Medium. The passive 'report to us' mechanism for identifying underage users places compliance burden on third-party reporters rather than on Medium's own onboarding controls. The FTC has taken enforcement action against platforms that fail to implement adequate age screening, even where terms formally exclude minors. (3) JURISDICTION FLAGS: COPPA applies federally across the United States. The EU's GDPR imposes additional age verification requirements, with member states setting the minimum age for digital consent between 13 and 16. UK GDPR and the Age Appropriate Design Code (AADC) impose specific obligations for services accessible by minors that go beyond COPPA requirements. Medium's compliance posture under the UK AADC should be assessed independently. (4) CONTRACT AND VENDOR IMPLICATIONS: Organizations deploying Medium for educational or youth-adjacent purposes should independently assess whether their use case creates COPPA exposure given Medium's reliance on passive age exclusion rather than verified consent mechanisms. (5) COMPLIANCE CONSIDERATIONS: Organizations with COPPA compliance obligations should not rely on Medium's self-reported exclusion as a substitute for their own due diligence on whether minor users may access Medium-hosted content. If minors are discovered to have accounts, the designated contact is privacy@medium.com.
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This provision establishes Medium's COPPA compliance posture, but enforcement relies on user reporting rather than active age verification, which may be a meaningful gap in practice.
Parents should be aware that Medium does not employ active age verification for account creation; if a minor under 13 has created an account, contacting privacy@medium.com is the designated reporting mechanism.
No. ConductAtlas is an independent monitoring service. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Medium.