Meta · Meta Terms of Service

Age Restriction and Minors Policy

High severity
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What it is

The Facebook Products are not for people under the age of 13 (or the applicable minimum age in your region). If you are under the age of 13 (or the minimum age in your region), do not attempt to register for our products or provide any personal information.

Why it matters

Meta's age restriction is a legal minimum required by COPPA, but the absence of robust age verification means children under 13 frequently access the platform — creating significant regulatory exposure for Meta and safety risks for minors whose data may be collected.

Consumer impact

Meta's Terms of Service grant the company an extremely broad license to use everything you post — photos, videos, text — for commercial purposes including advertising, and this license persists even if you delete content that others have already reshared. Meta retains the right to suspend or remove your account, restrict content visibility, and modify these terms with as little as 30 days' notice, meaning the rules governing your account can change materially over time. You can review and adjust your advertising data preferences by navigating to Facebook Settings > Ads, and EU/UK users can exercise additional rights including data access, deletion, and objection to processing via the Facebook Privacy Center.

What you can do

⚠️ These actions may provide transparency or partial mitigation but may not fully address the underlying issue. Effectiveness varies by jurisdiction and individual circumstances.
  • Delete Your Data
    Parents can report and request deletion of an underage child's Facebook account by visiting Facebook's Help Center and submitting a request through the 'Report an Underage Child' form, providing proof of the child's age.

Applicable agencies

  • FTC
    The FTC is the primary enforcement authority for COPPA (16 CFR Part 312) and is actively pursuing enhanced restrictions on Meta's collection and use of minors' data.
    File a complaint →

Provision details

Document information
Document
Meta Terms of Service
Entity
Meta
Document last updated
March 24, 2026
Tracking information
First tracked
March 6, 2026
Last verified
April 4, 2026
Record ID
CA-P-001931
Document ID
CA-D-00020
Evidence Provenance
Source URL
Wayback Machine
SHA-256
8a855e4c147f2c90abe6867d9f920a94ad0e0ebee43fb73d9f0d62acffd1e90c
Verified
✓ Snapshot stored   ✓ Change verified
How to Cite
ConductAtlas Policy Archive
Entity: Meta | Document: Meta Terms of Service | Record: CA-P-001931
Captured: 2026-03-06 20:29:13 UTC | SHA-256: 8a855e4c147f2c90…
URL: https://conductatlas.com/platform/meta/meta-terms-of-service/age-restriction-and-minors-policy/
Accessed: April 4, 2026
Classification
Severity
High
Categories

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