Kids & Teens Marketing Compliance
Marketing to kids and teens operates under the strictest regulatory layer in advertising. COPPA (US, under-13), UK's Age-Appropriate Design Code (under-18), and EU DSA Article 28 each impose specific data-handling, ad-targeting, and content rules — and platforms enforce them aggressively. Reference our EU DSA guide for Article 28 specifics.
Critical Compliance Risks
DSA Article 28 — minors protection
EU DSA Article 28 prohibits profiling-based ads to known minors and requires VLOPs to implement age-appropriate designs. Platforms have removed targeting options for under-18 audiences in the EU since 2024.
COPPA — under-13 data collection
US COPPA requires verifiable parental consent before collecting personal information from under-13 audiences. Behavioural advertising to under-13 effectively prohibited; FTC has fined major platforms (YouTube $170M) for violations.
UK Age-Appropriate Design Code (AADC)
The UK's "Children's Code" (effective 2021) requires services likely to be accessed by children to apply 15 standards on data, profiling, geolocation, and nudge techniques.
CPSIA toy safety and labeling
US Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act mandates lead/phthalate testing and tracking labels on children's products. Ad imagery must reflect compliant product specs; non-compliant products cannot be promoted.
Influencer-led kids content
Family-influencer content faces tightening rules — COPPA enforcement reaches kid-targeted YouTube channels; FTC has flagged kidfluencer marketing as a 2026 enforcement priority.
Sugary food and HFSS targeting
EU markets and UK have tightened HFSS (high in fat, sugar, salt) advertising to under-16 audiences. Mexico NOM-051 prohibits targeting minors with high-octagonal-warning products.
Platform Specific Restrictions
Meta Guidelines
"Targeting under-18 limited to age and location since 2024 (EU); COPPA-compliant data handling required for under-13. See Meta ad policies."
TikTok Guidelines
"Strict under-18 protection — limited ad targeting, default privacy settings, parental controls required. Family creator content faces FTC enforcement. See TikTok community guidelines."
Google Guidelines
"YouTube Kids ads have additional restrictions; ad personalization disabled for under-13 (post-COPPA settlement). See Google Ads policy guide."
LinkedIn Guidelines
"LinkedIn requires 16+ minimum age (EU 18+); B2B context means consumer kids marketing not relevant, but EdTech for educators applies. See LinkedIn advertising policies."
YouTube Guidelines
"YouTube Kids has strict made-for-kids designation and ad restrictions; influencer disclosure mandatory in family content. See YouTube advertiser-friendly guidelines."
X Guidelines
"X requires 13+ minimum age; advertising to teen accounts limited. Family-focused content and toy reviews allowed with disclosure. See X ads policy."
Snapchat Guidelines
"13+ minimum, default-private accounts for under-18, no behavioural targeting under 18 (EU). Snap Kids tier where applicable. See Snapchat advertising guide."
Pinterest Guidelines
"13+ minimum age; teen accounts default-private with restricted advertising. Family and parenting content thrives with disclosure. See Pinterest advertising policy."
Related Resources
Kids & Teens Policy Changes — Tracked
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Policy Tracker