Parents or guardians are legally responsible for creating Microsoft accounts and accepting terms on behalf of minor children who use Minecraft.
This analysis describes what Minecraft'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 clause places the legal responsibility for minors' account terms on parents, but does not specify how Mojang or Microsoft verifies parental consent, which is critical under COPPA for children under 13.
Interpretive note: The EULA states parental responsibility but does not describe the consent verification mechanism, meaning COPPA compliance depends on implementation details outside this document.
Parents who create Minecraft accounts for children under 13 are accepting all EULA and Microsoft Services Agreement terms on their child's behalf, including data collection practices governed by the Microsoft Privacy Statement; reviewing those privacy terms is particularly important for parents of young children.
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By accessing or using the Services, you represent and warrant that: (a) you are at least 18 years of age or over the age of majority in the jurisdiction where you are a resident or citizen; and (b) your registration and your use of the Service is in compliance with any and all applicable laws and re...
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"If you are a minor and you are having trouble understanding these terms and conditions, please ask your parent or legal guardian to explain them, especially as your parent or legal guardian is responsible for the creation of your Microsoft account and the acceptance all terms on your behalf.— Excerpt from Minecraft's Minecraft End User License Agreement
(1) REGULATORY LANDSCAPE: This provision directly implicates COPPA, which requires verifiable parental consent before collecting personal information from children under 13 in the US. The FTC is the primary enforcement authority for COPPA. Under GDPR Article 8, member states set the age of digital consent between 13 and 16; operators must obtain parental consent for users below that threshold. The UK Age Appropriate Design Code (Children's Code) imposes additional design obligations for services likely to be accessed by children. (2) GOVERNANCE EXPOSURE: High. Minecraft is one of the most widely played games globally among children, making COPPA and equivalent international child protection frameworks directly material. The EULA's approach of instructing minors to seek parental explanation, rather than specifying the consent collection mechanism, means the actual compliance burden falls on implementation processes not described in this document. (3) JURISDICTION FLAGS: The EU, UK, and individual US states all impose heightened obligations where services are directed to or likely accessed by minors. The EU Digital Services Act also imposes obligations on large platforms regarding minor users. Brazil's LGPD has provisions regarding children's data that are relevant given the Brazilian affiliate entity listed in the Company Information section. (4) CONTRACT AND VENDOR IMPLICATIONS: Organizations deploying Minecraft in schools should confirm whether their group agreement with Microsoft provides COPPA-compliant consent mechanisms and whether Minecraft Education's separate terms address FERPA obligations for student data. (5) COMPLIANCE CONSIDERATIONS: Legal teams should review Microsoft's implemented consent flows for minor account creation to assess COPPA verifiable parental consent adequacy, and should confirm that the Microsoft Privacy Statement's children's data provisions align with current FTC guidance and any applicable state-level children's privacy laws such as California's AADC.
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This clause places the legal responsibility for minors' account terms on parents, but does not specify how Mojang or Microsoft verifies parental consent, which is critical under COPPA for children under 13.
Parents who create Minecraft accounts for children under 13 are accepting all EULA and Microsoft Services Agreement terms on their child's behalf, including data collection practices governed by the Microsoft Privacy Statement; reviewing those privacy terms is particularly important for parents of young children.
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