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Zendesk states that its digital properties are not directed to children under 16 and that it does not knowingly collect personal data from children, setting its age threshold at 16 rather than the COPPA threshold of 13.
This analysis describes what Zendesk'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 notice sets its children's privacy threshold at 16, which exceeds the minimum 13-year COPPA threshold and aligns with GDPR Article 8's default age of digital consent in many EU member states. This threshold applies to Zendesk's Controller-capacity data collection on its digital properties.
Under this clause, Zendesk's digital properties are not intended for users under 16, and the company states it does not knowingly collect data from this age group. Parents or guardians who believe a child has provided data to Zendesk can contact the privacy team using the details in Section 9.
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"Our Sites and Services are not directed to children under the age of 16, and we do not knowingly collect online personal data directly from children. If you are a parent or guardian of a minor child and believe that the child has disclosed online personal data to us, please contact us using the details provided in Section 9 below.Excerpt from Zendesk's Privacy Policy
1. REGULATORY LANDSCAPE: The 16-year threshold engages COPPA (which applies to children under 13), GDPR Article 8 (which permits member states to set age of digital consent between 13 and 16), and CCPA's prohibition on sale or sharing of minors' data under 16. The notice's age threshold of 16 aligns with the higher end of GDPR member state options and exceeds COPPA's minimum requirements. Enforcement authorities include the FTC for COPPA and EU supervisory authorities for GDPR Article 8 compliance. 2. GOVERNANCE EXPOSURE: Low. The 16-year threshold is conservative relative to COPPA's 13-year minimum and is consistent with GDPR's maximum permitted age of digital consent. The document separately confirms that it does not knowingly sell or share personal data of minors under 16 in the California section. 3. JURISDICTION FLAGS: EU member states have adopted varying ages of digital consent between 13 and 16 under GDPR Article 8; compliance teams should verify that Zendesk's uniform 16-year threshold satisfies requirements in all relevant member states. COPPA applies in the United States for children under 13 and would be relevant if Zendesk's services were determined to be directed at children, which the document disclaims. 4. CONTRACT AND VENDOR IMPLICATIONS: Businesses deploying Zendesk as a customer-facing tool should confirm that their use case does not involve collection of data from individuals under 16, and that their own terms of service and age verification mechanisms are consistent with Zendesk's stated age threshold. 5. COMPLIANCE CONSIDERATIONS: Legal teams should confirm that Zendesk's digital properties do not collect data from users under 16 through mechanisms that could attract regulatory scrutiny, and that the parental contact procedure described in the notice is operationally implemented. Organizations deploying Zendesk tools for consumer-facing services should assess whether their user base includes individuals under 16 and take appropriate steps.
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The notice sets its children's privacy threshold at 16, which exceeds the minimum 13-year COPPA threshold and aligns with GDPR Article 8's default age of digital consent in many EU member states. This threshold applies to Zendesk's Controller-capacity data collection on its digital properties.
Under this clause, Zendesk's digital properties are not intended for users under 16, and the company states it does not knowingly collect data from this age group. Parents or guardians who believe a child has provided data to Zendesk can contact the privacy team using the details in Section 9.
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