Snapchat · Snap Terms of Service · View original document ↗

Age Eligibility Requirements

Medium severity Medium confidence Inferredfromcontext Unique · 0 of 325 platforms
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Document Record

What it is

You need to be at least 13 years old to use Snapchat. If you are a minor (under 18 in most places), your parent or guardian must also agree to these terms.

This analysis describes what Snapchat'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)

Age restrictions are central to Snapchat's compliance with COPPA in the US and similar children's privacy laws globally, and the adequacy of Snap's age verification mechanisms has been a subject of regulatory scrutiny.

Interpretive note: The specific verbatim age eligibility language was not extractable from the truncated document; characterization reflects Snap's publicly known terms structure.

Consumer impact (what this means for users)

Users under 13 are not permitted to use Snapchat, and minors between 13 and 17 are subject to additional restrictions; parents of minor users should be aware that by allowing use, they are effectively consenting to the terms on the minor's behalf.

Cross-platform context

See how other platforms handle Age Eligibility Requirements and similar clauses.

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▸ View Original Clause Language DOCUMENT RECORD
"
You must be at least 13 years old to use the Services. If you are under the age of majority in your jurisdiction, you represent that your parent or legal guardian has reviewed and agreed to these Terms.

— Excerpt from Snapchat's Snap Terms of Service

ConductAtlas Analysis

Institutional analysis (Compliance & governance intelligence)

(1) REGULATORY LANDSCAPE: COPPA prohibits collecting personal information from children under 13 without verifiable parental consent, and the FTC is the primary enforcement authority. The California Age-Appropriate Design Code (AADC) imposes additional requirements for services likely to be accessed by minors under 18. The UK Children's Code and EU DSA also impose child protection obligations on platforms. (2) GOVERNANCE EXPOSURE: High. Age verification for minors on social platforms has been the subject of active FTC enforcement and Congressional scrutiny. The adequacy of self-reported age verification (versus technical verification mechanisms) is a key compliance risk for platforms with large minor user populations. (3) JURISDICTION FLAGS: California's AADC applies to services with a significant likelihood of being accessed by users under 18, not just under 13. The UK Children's Code similarly applies to services likely to be accessed by minors. EU DSA imposes heightened risk assessment obligations for services accessible to minors. (4) CONTRACT AND VENDOR IMPLICATIONS: Platforms or brands integrating with Snap's advertising ecosystem should assess whether their campaigns are appropriately age-targeted and whether Snap's minor user protections are sufficient for their own compliance obligations. (5) COMPLIANCE CONSIDERATIONS: Legal teams should evaluate whether Snap's current age verification and parental consent mechanisms satisfy COPPA, the California AADC, and comparable international children's privacy standards, and whether any recent regulatory guidance or enforcement actions affect this assessment.

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 the collection of personal data from children under 13, directly relevant to Snap's age eligibility and verification practices
    File a complaint →
  • State AG
    State attorneys general, particularly in California, have authority to enforce state children's privacy and online safety laws applicable to platforms like Snapchat
    File a complaint →

Provision details

Document information
Document
Snap Terms of Service
Entity
Snapchat
Document last updated
May 5, 2026
Tracking information
First tracked
May 10, 2026
Last verified
May 10, 2026
Record ID
CA-P-008711
Document ID
CA-D-00103
Evidence Provenance
Source URL
Wayback Machine
Content hash (SHA-256)
5f9d9eb504faaf2e867568fe83829b69f799f9741275d70f32c696175a0c2fa7
Analysis generated
May 10, 2026 10:08 UTC
Methodology
Evidence
✓ Snapshot stored   ✓ Hash verified
Citation Record
Entity: Snapchat
Document: Snap Terms of Service
Record ID: CA-P-008711
Captured: 2026-05-10 10:08:39 UTC
SHA-256: 5f9d9eb504faaf2e…
URL: https://conductatlas.com/platform/snapchat/snap-terms-of-service/age-eligibility-requirements/
Accessed: May 13, 2026
Permanent archival reference. Stable identifier suitable for legal filings, compliance documentation, and research citation.
Classification
Severity
Medium
Categories

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Frequently Asked Questions

What does Snapchat's Age Eligibility Requirements clause do?

Age restrictions are central to Snapchat's compliance with COPPA in the US and similar children's privacy laws globally, and the adequacy of Snap's age verification mechanisms has been a subject of regulatory scrutiny.

How does this clause affect you?

Users under 13 are not permitted to use Snapchat, and minors between 13 and 17 are subject to additional restrictions; parents of minor users should be aware that by allowing use, they are effectively consenting to the terms on the minor's behalf.

Is ConductAtlas affiliated with Snapchat?

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