AADC (UK Age-Appropriate Design Code)
UK Information Commissioner's Office statutory code (effective 2021) setting 15 standards for online services likely to be accessed by children under 18.
What AADC (UK Age-Appropriate Design Code) means
The Age-Appropriate Design Code (also known as the 'Children's Code'), issued by the UK Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) under Section 123 of the Data Protection Act 2018, sets 15 standards that online services 'likely to be accessed by children' must apply. Effective from 2 September 2021, the Code requires: best interests of the child as a primary consideration; data protection impact assessments accounting for children; default high-privacy settings; minimal data collection; profiling off by default; nudge techniques used appropriately; geolocation off by default; and parental control transparency. The Code applies regardless of where the service is based if it targets or is likely to be accessed by UK children. Non-compliance has triggered ICO enforcement and shaped global platform defaults for younger users.
Related terms
COPPA
The Children's Online Privacy Protection Act — a US federal law that restricts the collection of personal data from children under 13.
DSA Article 28 (Minors Protection)
EU Digital Services Act provision prohibiting profiling-based advertising to known minors and requiring age-appropriate platform design.
ICO (Information Commissioner's Office)
UK Information Commissioner's Office — regulator for the UK GDPR, the Data Protection Act 2018, and PECR cookie/marketing rules.