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 13-year minimum aligns with US COPPA requirements, but the vague reference to higher minimums in other countries without specifying them or describing any verification mechanism may be insufficient for GDPR compliance, which sets a 16-year digital consent threshold in many EU member states.
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.
How other platforms handle this
You must be at least 13 years old (or the minimum age required in your country) to use Threads. If you are under 18, you must have your parent or legal guardian's permission to use Threads.
Our Services are not directed to children under 13. If you learn that anyone younger than 13 has unlawfully provided us with personal data, please contact us at privacy@medium.com.
The Service is intended for general audiences and is not directed to children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you are a parent or guardian and believe that your child under the age of 13 has provided us with personal information without your cons...
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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 13-year minimum aligns with US COPPA requirements, but the vague reference to higher minimums in other countries without specifying them or describing any verification mechanism may be insufficient for GDPR compliance, which sets a 16-year digital consent threshold in many EU member states.
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.
ConductAtlas has identified this type of provision across 6 platforms. See the full comparison.
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