Meta prohibits users under 13 from using its services and claims to delete data from children under 13 if discovered, but relies primarily on user-provided birth dates for age verification.
This analysis describes what Meta Ads'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
The provision operationalizes Meta's compliance with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) and establishes the procedural mechanism—date of birth collection—through which the company implements age-gating requirements for its platform.
The updated Privacy Policy no longer explicitly directs US residents to the United States Regional Privacy Notice, which previously provided details about consumer privacy rights available under state laws like the California Consumer Privacy Act and similar regulations. This removal does not eliminate those rights themselves, but it makes the Privacy Policy less clear about where consumers can find information on how to exercise those rights. Consumers can still locate the Regional Privacy Notice through Meta's website or by searching for it directly, but the removal reduces the accessibility and prominence of that guidance within the primary policy document.
View change record →Children under 13 who access Meta's platforms — despite age restrictions — may have their personal data collected and used for advertising, with the only verification being a self-reported birth date that is easily falsified.
How other platforms handle this
Our Services are not directed to children under the age of 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If we become aware that we have collected personal information from a child under 13 without verifiable parental consent, we will take steps to delete such info...
Our services are not directed to children under the age of 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If we become aware that we have collected personal information from a child under 13, we will take steps to delete that information. Users between the ages of 1...
We do not knowingly collect personal data from children under the age of 13 (or under 16 in certain jurisdictions) without verifiable parental consent. If we learn that we have collected personal data from a child under the applicable age without parental consent, we will take steps to delete such d...
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"Our services are not directed to people under the age of 13, and we require users to provide their date of birth when creating an account. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you are under the age of 13, please do not use our service. If we learn that we have collected personal information from a child under 13, we will delete that information as quickly as possible.— Excerpt from Meta Ads's Meta Privacy Policy
REGULATORY FRAMEWORK: COPPA 15 U.S.C. §6501 et seq. requires verifiable parental consent before collecting personal information from children under 13, enforced by the FTC (16 CFR Part 312). The FTC's 2022 policy statement clarified that COPPA applies to platforms that have 'actual knowledge' of child users regardless of stated age restrictions. GDPR Art. 8 sets the age of digital consent at 16 (or lower where member states specify, minimum 13) and requires verifiable parental consent below that threshold. UK GDPR and Age Appropriate Design Code (Children's Code, ICO) impose heightened obligations. EU Regulation 2022/2065 (Digital Services Act) Art. 28 prohibits targeted advertising to minors. Enforcement: FTC, EU national DPAs, Irish DPC, UK ICO.
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The provision operationalizes Meta's compliance with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) and establishes the procedural mechanism—date of birth collection—through which the company implements age-gating requirements for its platform.
Children under 13 who access Meta's platforms — despite age restrictions — may have their personal data collected and used for advertising, with the only verification being a self-reported birth date that is easily falsified.
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