You must be at least 13 to use Threads. If you are under 18, a parent or guardian must agree to the terms on your behalf.
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
The minimum age requirement and parental consent mechanism have direct implications for how Threads collects and processes data about minors, which is subject to heightened legal protections in multiple jurisdictions.
Interpretive note: The document does not describe the mechanism by which parental consent for under-18 users is obtained or verified, leaving the practical adequacy of this provision uncertain relative to regulatory requirements across jurisdictions.
The updated terms add explicit language requiring users to agree to Meta's AI terms as a condition of service use. The agreement now states that interactions with AI features will be used to improve …
Users under 13 are not permitted to use Threads, and users aged 13-17 require parental consent, though the document does not specify how parental consent is verified in practice, which may affect the protections available to minors on the platform.
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"You must be at least 13 years old to use the Service. If you are under 18, you must have your parent or legal guardian's permission to use the Service and they must read and agree to these Terms.— Excerpt from Threads's Threads Terms of Use
(1) REGULATORY LANDSCAPE: COPPA applies to online services directed at or knowingly collecting data from children under 13 in the United States, enforced by the FTC. The UK Age Appropriate Design Code (Children's Code) imposes additional design and data minimization obligations for services likely to be accessed by under-18s, enforced by the ICO. GDPR Article 8 sets the age of digital consent at 16 in most EU member states (with a floor of 13 where member states have lowered it), and requires verifiable parental consent for those below that threshold. The California Age-Appropriate Design Code Act may also apply. (2) GOVERNANCE EXPOSURE: High for minors-related compliance. The document states parental consent is required for under-18 users but does not describe a technical age verification or parental consent verification mechanism, which is a common area of regulatory scrutiny. The FTC has taken enforcement action against platforms that fail to implement adequate age verification under COPPA. (3) JURISDICTION FLAGS: EU/EEA jurisdictions with a digital consent age above 13 (up to 16 in some member states) create heightened exposure, as the document's stated minimum of 13 may be insufficient in those countries. The UK Children's Code applies to any service likely to be accessed by under-18s regardless of whether the service is specifically directed at children. Illinois, California, and other US states have enacted or proposed additional minors' privacy legislation. (4) CONTRACT AND VENDOR IMPLICATIONS: Organizations that operate educational or youth-facing programs on Threads should assess whether their use of the platform is consistent with COPPA, FERPA, and applicable state minors' privacy laws. Vendors integrating with Threads APIs for services that may reach minors should conduct due diligence on Meta's age verification practices. (5) COMPLIANCE CONSIDERATIONS: Legal teams should evaluate the adequacy of Meta's age assurance mechanisms in light of evolving regulatory expectations under the UK Children's Code, COPPA enforcement guidance, and EU GDPR guidance on children's data. If Threads is used in any context involving known minors (such as school or youth organization accounts), a specific legal review of COPPA and applicable state law obligations is warranted.
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The minimum age requirement and parental consent mechanism have direct implications for how Threads collects and processes data about minors, which is subject to heightened legal protections in multiple jurisdictions.
Users under 13 are not permitted to use Threads, and users aged 13-17 require parental consent, though the document does not specify how parental consent is verified in practice, which may affect the protections available to minors on the platform.
ConductAtlas has identified this type of provision across 6 platforms. See the full comparison.
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