Children under 13 can use YouTube if a parent allows it, but the parent takes on full legal responsibility for everything the child does on the platform under this agreement.
This analysis describes what YouTube Ads'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
Parents who enable their children to use YouTube are accepting the full terms of service on their behalf, including the indemnification clause and content license grants, which is a significant legal commitment that many parents may not fully appreciate.
Interpretive note: The adequacy of the described parental consent mechanism for COPPA compliance depends on the specific technical implementation of Family Link and YouTube Kids, which is not fully described in this document.
Parents who set up YouTube access for children, including children under 13, are personally bound by all terms including indemnification obligations, meaning they could be held financially responsible for any claims arising from their child's activity on the platform.
How other platforms handle this
to withdraw your consent to our processing of your data (where such processing is based on consent)
By providing your mobile phone number, you consent to receive automated text (SMS) messages from Instacart...To opt out, reply STOP. For help, reply HELP or contact us directly...
If you do not want us to have this access, you should not consent to support through the remote access tool, and we will assist you through other means.
"You must be at least 13 years old to use the Service; however, children of all ages may use the Service and YouTube Kids (where available) if enabled by a parent or legal guardian. If you are a parent or legal guardian of a minor in your country, by allowing your child to use the Service, you are subject to the terms of this Agreement and responsible for your child's activity on the Service.Excerpt from YouTube Ads's YouTube Terms of Service
(1) REGULATORY LANDSCAPE: COPPA (Children's Online Privacy Protection Act) imposes strict requirements on the collection of personal data from children under 13, including verifiable parental consent, and is enforced by the FTC.
Enforcement risk, jurisdiction flags, contract triggers, and due diligence action items.
Ad personalization controls removed. Contact scanning added. Advertiser data partnerships quietly dropped. A timeline of every change.
Get the research letter
Companies change their terms quietly. We read every version and catch what actually changed. One email a week on the changes that matter and what they mean.
Parents who enable their children to use YouTube are accepting the full terms of service on their behalf, including the indemnification clause and content license grants, which is a significant legal commitment that many parents may not fully appreciate.
Parents who set up YouTube access for children, including children under 13, are personally bound by all terms including indemnification obligations, meaning they could be held financially responsible for any claims arising from their child's activity on the platform.
ConductAtlas has identified this type of provision across 289 platforms. See the full comparison.
No. ConductAtlas is an independent monitoring service. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by YouTube Ads.