You must be at least 13 to use Signal, and in some countries the minimum age may be higher; Signal acknowledges that parental approval may be required in certain jurisdictions.
This analysis describes what Signal'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 clause establishes Signal's compliance framework with age-based service restrictions under applicable laws, including the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act and equivalent international regulations. It clarifies that users must meet both the stated 13-year minimum and any higher legal requirements in their jurisdiction.
Interpretive note: The policy acknowledges higher age thresholds in some countries without specifying them or describing verification mechanisms, creating ambiguity about GDPR Article 8 and COPPA compliance implementation.
Users under 13 are not permitted to use Signal; users between 13 and 16 may require parental consent depending on their country, but the policy does not describe how this is verified or enforced.
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"You must be at least 13 years old to use our Services. The minimum age to use our Services without parental approval may be higher in your home country.— Excerpt from Signal's Signal Privacy Policy
REGULATORY LANDSCAPE: COPPA requires verifiable parental consent for users under 13 in the US, and the FTC is the primary enforcement authority. GDPR Article 8 sets the age of digital consent at 16 for most EU member states, with member states permitted to lower it to 13; the policy acknowledges higher minimums without specifying GDPR Article 8 compliance mechanisms. The UK's Age Appropriate Design Code (Children's Code) imposes additional obligations for services likely accessed by minors. GOVERNANCE EXPOSURE: Medium. The absence of any described age verification mechanism is a recurring compliance gap in messaging platform terms. COPPA enforcement has resulted in significant FTC penalties against platforms that failed to implement adequate age gates; Signal's policy acknowledges the obligation without describing its implementation. JURISDICTION FLAGS: EU member states with a 16-year digital consent threshold (Belgium, France, Germany, Netherlands, and others) create heightened exposure. The UK Children's Code applies to services likely to be accessed by under-18s. California's Age-Appropriate Design Code Act, if enforced, would add further obligations. CONTRACT AND VENDOR IMPLICATIONS: Organizations deploying Signal in educational or youth-oriented contexts should conduct independent age-appropriateness assessments and not rely solely on Signal's stated minimum age requirement. COMPLIANCE CONSIDERATIONS: COPPA compliance teams should assess Signal's age verification mechanisms (which are not described in this document) before deploying or recommending the service to potentially minor-age populations. GDPR teams should evaluate whether Signal's approach to the higher age thresholds in EU member states is adequately documented.
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The clause establishes Signal's compliance framework with age-based service restrictions under applicable laws, including the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act and equivalent international regulations. It clarifies that users must meet both the stated 13-year minimum and any higher legal requirements in their jurisdiction.
Users under 13 are not permitted to use Signal; users between 13 and 16 may require parental consent depending on their country, but the policy does not describe how this is verified or enforced.
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