Provision record
Meta · Meta Special Ad Category Requirements · View original document ↗

Age and Gender Targeting Restricted for Special Ad Categories

High severity High confidence Explicit document language Common · 148 of 352 platforms

Key Facts

What does Meta do with age and gender targeting options for Special Ad Category ads served by advertisers based in or reaching the US, Canada, and certain European countries?
Meta limits or makes unavailable age and gender targeting options for Special Ad Category ads served by advertisers based in or reaching the US, Canada, and certain European countries.
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This analysis describes what Meta'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

ConductAtlas Analysis

Why it matters (compliance & governance perspective)

Advertisers in or targeting these regions lose access to key demographic targeting tools, directly constraining how they can reach audiences.

Interpretive note: The excerpt lists additional restricted audience options beyond age and gender; age and gender are stated as the primary claim here. Other restricted options (e.g., exclusion targeting, lookalike audiences) are covered separately in id 63836.

Clause Stability Stable

0
Changes
3
Months Monitored
Jul 10, 2026
First Seen
Jul 10, 2026
Last Seen
This clause type exists across 370 other provisions on other platforms.

Consumer impact (what this means for users)

Users in the US, Canada, and certain European countries are protected from being targeted or excluded based on age or gender in Special Ad Category campaigns.

How other platforms handle this

Snapchat Ads Medium

Ads for certain products or services may not be targeted on the basis of gender, age, or location.

Roblox Medium

Creator events are only available if you are 13 or older.

Duolingo Medium

Child Users can search for other users, or be searched for by other users, but only by providing an exact username or a referral link.

See all platforms with this clause type →
▸ View Original Clause Language DOCUMENT RECORD
"
Certain audience options are limited or unavailable for these ads for advertisers based in or reaching the US and advertisers reaching Canada and certain countries in Europe: age, gender...

Excerpt from Meta's Special Ad Category Requirements

Provision details

Document information
Document
Meta Special Ad Category Requirements
Entity
Meta
Document last updated
May 20, 2026
Tracking information
First tracked
May 20, 2026
Last verified
May 20, 2026
Record ID
CA-P-063834
Document ID
CA-D-00866
Evidence Provenance
Source URL
Wayback Machine
Content hash (SHA-256)
4de5640b47cd9236ada309faebf35313a7ab697822066d095fcfd9e4f5d27eef
Analysis generated
May 20, 2026 18:42 UTC
Methodology
Evidence
✓ Snapshot stored   ✓ Hash verified
Citation Record
Entity: Meta
Document: Meta Special Ad Category Requirements
Record ID: CA-P-063834
Captured: 2026-05-20 18:42:43 UTC
SHA-256: 4de5640b47cd9236…
URL: https://conductatlas.com/platform/meta/meta-special-ad-category-requirements/provision/CA-P-063834/age-and-gender-targeting-restricted-for-special-ad-categories/
Accessed: Aug. 18, 2026
Permanent archival reference. Stable identifier suitable for legal filings, compliance documentation, and research citation.
Classification
Severity
High
Categories

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Frequently Asked Questions

What does Meta's Age and Gender Targeting Restricted for Special Ad Categories clause do?

Advertisers in or targeting these regions lose access to key demographic targeting tools, directly constraining how they can reach audiences.

How does this clause affect you?

Users in the US, Canada, and certain European countries are protected from being targeted or excluded based on age or gender in Special Ad Category campaigns.

How many platforms have this type of clause?

ConductAtlas has identified this type of provision across 148 platforms. See the full comparison.

Is ConductAtlas affiliated with Meta?

No. ConductAtlas is an independent monitoring service. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Meta.