Threads states it is not intended for children under 12, and claims not to knowingly collect personal data from children under 13 without parental consent.
This analysis describes what Threads'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
This provision reflects compliance obligations under children's privacy regulations, particularly the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), which requires parental consent before collecting personal information from children under 13.
Interpretive note: The operational effectiveness of age verification on Threads is not described in the policy; the extent to which stated age restrictions are technically enforced versus reliant on user self-declaration is unclear from the document text.
The updated policy no longer explicitly discloses that user interactions with AI systems will be used to improve Meta's AI, nor does it describe how data is shared or collected in specific detail. Previously, the policy offered a 24/7 AI support assistant and clear pathways to manage or delete account data; these references are now absent. The removal of these disclosures does not necessarily mean the practices have stopped, but users no longer have explicit written confirmation of these features or data uses within the published policy.
View change record →The updated policy establishes that interactions with Meta's AI assistant will be used to improve Meta's AI systems. The policy states that by using the service, users agree to Meta's AI terms. Previously, the policy did not explicitly disclose this use of conversational data for AI training purposes. This means user conversations with the AI support assistant are now expressly authorized for use in improving Meta's broader AI infrastructure.
View change record →The updated policy narrows the terms users explicitly agree to by using the service from a three-part agreement (Meta Terms, AI terms, and Privacy Policy) to AI terms only. The policy now explicitly discloses that interactions with AIs will be used to improve AI at Meta. This means continued use of the service constitutes acceptance of this narrower agreement scope and explicit participation in AI training data use. You should review Meta's AI terms directly to understand what they cover and what controls, if any, are available.
View change record →The age restriction is stated but enforcement depends on user-provided information, meaning minors may access the platform and have their data collected without the stated parental consent safeguards applying in practice.
How other platforms handle this
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.
Our services are restricted to users who are 18 years of age or older. We do not permit users under the age of 18 on our platform and we do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under 18. If you suspect that a user is under the age of 18, please use the reporting mechanism available...
If you do not have a social security number you may still be eligible to open a limited Revolut personal account. Depending on your immigration status, we may ask you to provide us with a copy of your supported U.S. visa and may limit your access to certain products and features.
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"Threads is not for people under the age of 12. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under the age of 13 without parental consent.— Excerpt from Threads's Threads Privacy Policy
(1) REGULATORY LANDSCAPE: COPPA applies to the online collection of personal information from children under 13 in the United States, with the FTC as the primary enforcement authority; the policy's assertion of not knowingly collecting data from under-13 users without parental consent aligns with COPPA's baseline requirements. The EU's GDPR and the UK's Children's Code (Age Appropriate Design Code) impose additional obligations for services likely to be accessed by children. (2) GOVERNANCE EXPOSURE: Medium. Age verification mechanisms on social media platforms have faced increasing regulatory scrutiny; the reliance on self-reported age data without technical verification may create exposure under COPPA enforcement and under the UK Children's Code. (3) JURISDICTION FLAGS: US users under 13 are covered by COPPA; UK users are covered by the ICO's Children's Code; EU member states have varying implementations of GDPR's age of consent for digital services (ranging from 13 to 16). California's AADC (Age-Appropriate Design Code Act) may also apply. (4) CONTRACT AND VENDOR IMPLICATIONS: No specific third-party contract implications, but Meta's advertising partners should assess whether targeting constraints for under-13 users are operationally enforced across the ad ecosystem. (5) COMPLIANCE CONSIDERATIONS: Technical and operational controls for age verification should be reviewed; parental consent mechanisms should be assessed for COPPA compliance; the interaction between Threads' age policy and Instagram's age policy should be documented given the account linkage.
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This provision reflects compliance obligations under children's privacy regulations, particularly the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), which requires parental consent before collecting personal information from children under 13.
The age restriction is stated but enforcement depends on user-provided information, meaning minors may access the platform and have their data collected without the stated parental consent safeguards applying in practice.
ConductAtlas has identified this type of provision across 2 platforms. See the full comparison.
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