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Medium's Services are available only to users who are at least 13 years old.
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 13 as the minimum age for using Medium's Services, which corresponds to the minimum age threshold established under the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) for online services not directed to children. The agreement does not specify age verification mechanisms.
The updated terms establish that Medium may stop providing the Services or any of its features within its sole discretion. The prior language focused on subscription account sign-up mechanics; the new provision creates an explicit contractual reservation allowing Medium to discontinue platform features or the entire service without conditions tied to a specific event or timeline. The terms do not specify advance notice requirements, transition periods, or user remedies if the service is discontinued.
View change record →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 →This clause establishes that users under 13 years of age are not authorized to use Medium's Services. The agreement does not detail the mechanism by which age is verified or what occurs if a user is found to be under the minimum age.
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"To use our Services, you must be at least 13 years old.Excerpt from Medium's Terms of Service
1) REGULATORY LANDSCAPE: The 13-year minimum age threshold corresponds to the threshold established under COPPA (15 U.S.C. § 6501 et seq.), which is enforced by the FTC and prohibits online services from collecting personal information from children under 13 without verifiable parental consent. Jurisdictions outside the US may impose higher minimum age thresholds; GDPR Article 8 permits member states to set the digital consent age between 13 and 16, and several EU member states have set it at 16. The UK's Age Appropriate Design Code may impose additional obligations for services accessible to users under 18. 2) GOVERNANCE EXPOSURE: Medium. The agreement asserts a minimum age of 13 but does not describe age verification procedures, which may be relevant to COPPA compliance assessments. The FTC has taken enforcement action against platforms that fail to implement adequate age verification or that knowingly collect data from users under 13. 3) JURISDICTION FLAGS: EU member states with digital consent ages above 13 (including France, Germany, and the Netherlands, which have set ages of 15 or 16) create heightened compliance exposure for Medium's operations in those jurisdictions. The UK Age Appropriate Design Code applies to services likely to be accessed by users under 18. California's Age-Appropriate Design Code Act, effective September 2024, may impose additional obligations for services accessible to minors. 4) CONTRACT AND VENDOR IMPLICATIONS: Schools, educational publishers, or organizations using Medium in contexts where minors may access the platform should assess whether the 13-year minimum age threshold is adequate for their specific use context and applicable regulations. 5) COMPLIANCE CONSIDERATIONS: Legal teams should assess whether Medium's age verification and parental consent mechanisms (not described in this document) satisfy COPPA requirements, applicable EU digital consent age requirements, and emerging state-level minor protection statutes including California's Age-Appropriate Design Code Act.
This provision establishes 13 as the minimum age for using Medium's Services, which corresponds to the minimum age threshold established under the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) for online services not directed to children. The agreement does not specify age verification mechanisms.
This clause establishes that users under 13 years of age are not authorized to use Medium's Services. The agreement does not detail the mechanism by which age is verified or what occurs if a user is found to be under the minimum age.
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