Steam prohibits children under 13 from creating accounts and states it will not knowingly collect personal data from children under 13. However, there is no active age verification mechanism described in the agreement.
This analysis describes what Steam'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 provision operationalizes Valve's compliance with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) and similar age-based data protection regulations. It establishes the contractual mechanism by which Valve enforces the statutory minimum age threshold for service access.
The updated agreement no longer explicitly discloses that Steam Wallet funds held by Japanese users will expire six months after being added, or that expiration dates can be reviewed in the Steam Wallet. The removal of this disclosure eliminates the transparency mechanism previously available to Japanese subscribers regarding fund expiration timelines and monitoring options. Japanese law may still impose expiration requirements on stored funds regardless of contractual disclosure, but the agreement no longer notifies users of this expiration mechanism.
View change record →This provision was removed from the subscriber agreement, though it appears as 'Age Restriction and Parental Consent' in the new version without the COPPA-specific terminology.
View full change record →Minors under 13 are prohibited from using Steam, but the agreement relies on self-attestation rather than verified age gating, which may inadequately protect children and creates regulatory risk for Valve under COPPA.
How other platforms handle this
The Services are not directed to children under the age of 13. If you are under 13 years of age, you are not authorized to use the Services. If you are between the ages of 13 and 18, you may use the Services only with the involvement and approval of a parent or guardian.
We want our Services to be as useful and enjoyable as possible for everyone in our community. For that reason, Discord requires users to be at least 13 years of age to access the Services. If you are between the ages of 13 and 18, you may only use Discord with the consent of your parent or legal gua...
The Services are not directed at children under the age of 13. If you are under the age of 13, you may not use the Services. If you are between the ages of 13 and 18 (or the age of majority in your jurisdiction), you may use the Services only with the consent of your parent or legal guardian. By usi...
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"You may not become a Subscriber if you are under the age of 13. Steam is not intended for children under 13 and Valve will not knowingly collect personal information from children under the age of 13. Additional age restrictions may apply in your country.— Excerpt from Steam's Steam Subscriber Agreement
REGULATORY FRAMEWORK: This provision directly engages COPPA (Children's Online Privacy Protection Act) 15 U.S.C. §6501 et seq. and 16 CFR Part 312, enforced by the FTC. COPPA requires operators of online services directed to children or with actual knowledge of child users to obtain verifiable parental consent before collecting personal information from children under 13. EU GDPR Art. 8 (children's consent; age threshold varies by member state from 13-16) and UK GDPR/Children's Code (ICO) also apply. The FTC is the primary US enforcement authority; national DPAs for EU; ICO for UK.
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The provision operationalizes Valve's compliance with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) and similar age-based data protection regulations. It establishes the contractual mechanism by which Valve enforces the statutory minimum age threshold for service access.
Minors under 13 are prohibited from using Steam, but the agreement relies on self-attestation rather than verified age gating, which may inadequately protect children and creates regulatory risk for Valve under COPPA.
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