Pinterest · Pinterest Privacy Policy · View original document ↗

Children Under 13 Prohibition and Age Screening

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Document Record

What it is

Pinterest prohibits users under 13 in the US and requires users in the EEA to meet their country's minimum age for data processing consent, which varies by country within the EEA.

This analysis describes what Pinterest'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)

The policy states that Pinterest is not directed at children under 13 and restricts EEA access based on member state age-of-consent laws; however, the policy does not detail the technical mechanisms used to verify user age at sign-up, which is a key compliance consideration under COPPA and emerging children's privacy laws.

Interpretive note: The policy does not disclose the technical mechanisms used to verify or screen user age, creating uncertainty about whether the prohibition is operationally enforced in a manner consistent with COPPA and GDPR Article 8 requirements.

Consumer impact (what this means for users)

The policy states that children under 13 are prohibited from using Pinterest, and parents or guardians who believe a minor has created an account should contact Pinterest to request removal of the minor's data, as COPPA requires deletion of personal information collected from children under 13 without verifiable parental consent.

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
    If you believe a child under 13 has created a Pinterest account, contact Pinterest through the privacy request form to request deletion of the minor's data and account removal.

How other platforms handle this

OpenAI Medium

Our services are not directed to children under 13. If we learn that we have collected personal data from a child under 13, we will delete that information as quickly as possible. If you believe a child under 13 has provided us with personal data, please contact us at privacy@openai.com.

Meta Medium

Our Products are not directed at children. You must be at least 13 years old to use our Products. If you are under the age of 18, you must have the permission of your parent or legal guardian to use our Products. You represent that you are 13 years of age or older, that you have the legal right to e...

Runway Medium

You may not use Runway's tools to create content that promotes, glorifies, or facilitates acts of terrorism, mass violence, or genocide, or that could be used to provide material support to individuals or organizations engaged in such activities.

See all platforms with this clause type →

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▸ View Original Clause Language DOCUMENT RECORD
"
Children under 13 are not allowed to use Pinterest. If you are based in the EEA, you may only use Pinterest if you are over the age at which you can provide consent to data processing under the laws of your country.

— Excerpt from Pinterest's Pinterest Privacy Policy

ConductAtlas Analysis

Institutional analysis (Compliance & governance intelligence)

(1) REGULATORY LANDSCAPE: This provision engages COPPA, which requires verifiable parental consent before collecting personal information from children under 13, enforced by the FTC. In the EEA, GDPR Article 8 sets the digital consent age at 16 by default, with member states permitted to lower it to 13; the policy acknowledges this variance by referencing member state law. The UK's Age Appropriate Design Code (Children's Code) requires platforms likely to be accessed by under-18s to implement specific design and data protection standards. Emerging US state children's privacy laws (including the California Age-Appropriate Design Code) may impose additional obligations. (2) GOVERNANCE EXPOSURE: High. Children's privacy is a priority enforcement area for the FTC, EU Data Protection Authorities, and the UK ICO. The policy's prohibition on under-13 use does not disclose the specific age verification or screening mechanisms employed, which is a focus of regulatory scrutiny. The FTC has taken enforcement action against platforms that failed to implement adequate age-screening despite policy prohibitions. (3) JURISDICTION FLAGS: US exposure under COPPA applies to all users. EEA exposure varies by member state minimum age. UK exposure under the Children's Code applies if the platform is likely to be accessed by minors. California's Age-Appropriate Design Code creates additional obligations for platforms accessible to users under 18. (4) CONTRACT AND VENDOR IMPLICATIONS: Third-party advertising partners should be contractually prohibited from serving behavioral advertising to users identified or reasonably believed to be minors. Data processing agreements should address obligations to delete data collected from users subsequently identified as underage. (5) COMPLIANCE CONSIDERATIONS: Compliance teams should document age-screening mechanisms and assess their adequacy under COPPA, GDPR Article 8, and applicable state laws. Procedures for handling reports of underage accounts should be documented and tested. The policy should be reviewed against the UK Children's Code if the platform is accessible to UK minors.

Full compliance analysis

Regulatory citations, enforcement risk, and due diligence action items.

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Applicable agencies

  • FTC
    The FTC enforces COPPA, which governs collection of personal information from children under 13, and has jurisdiction over Pinterest's age-screening and data collection practices related to minors.
    File a complaint →

Applicable regulations

CFAA
United States Federal
DMCA
United States Federal
DSA
European Union

Provision details

Document information
Document
Pinterest Privacy Policy
Entity
Pinterest
Document last updated
May 5, 2026
Tracking information
First tracked
April 27, 2026
Last verified
May 12, 2026
Record ID
CA-P-010896
Document ID
CA-D-00098
Evidence Provenance
Source URL
Wayback Machine
Content hash (SHA-256)
c1bbcbcc2602f2e5ebdf8f851d42a6a1a8fe73899b6fe40268e16ef95ffa88d1
Analysis generated
April 27, 2026 12:16 UTC
Methodology
Evidence
✓ Snapshot stored   ✓ Hash verified
Citation Record
Entity: Pinterest
Document: Pinterest Privacy Policy
Record ID: CA-P-010896
Captured: 2026-04-27 12:16:26 UTC
SHA-256: c1bbcbcc2602f2e5…
URL: https://conductatlas.com/platform/pinterest/pinterest-privacy-policy/children-under-13-prohibition-and-age-screening/
Accessed: May 13, 2026
Permanent archival reference. Stable identifier suitable for legal filings, compliance documentation, and research citation.
Classification
Severity
High
Categories

Other risks in this policy

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Frequently Asked Questions

What does Pinterest's Children Under 13 Prohibition and Age Screening clause do?

The policy states that Pinterest is not directed at children under 13 and restricts EEA access based on member state age-of-consent laws; however, the policy does not detail the technical mechanisms used to verify user age at sign-up, which is a key compliance consideration under COPPA and emerging children's privacy laws.

How does this clause affect you?

The policy states that children under 13 are prohibited from using Pinterest, and parents or guardians who believe a minor has created an account should contact Pinterest to request removal of the minor's data, as COPPA requires deletion of personal information collected from children under 13 without verifiable parental consent.

Is ConductAtlas affiliated with Pinterest?

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