Email Consent Age Verification

Definition

Email consent age verification ensures that individuals providing marketing consent meet the minimum age threshold required by law. Under GDPR, children under 16 (with variations by member state down to 13) cannot provide valid consent without parental authorisation. COPPA in the United States applies to children under 13. Other jurisdictions have similar requirements. Age verification must occur at the point of data collection, before the subscriber is added to marketing lists.

Regulatory Variations

• GDPR: Minimum age varies by member state (13-16). Parental consent required below the threshold.
• COPPA (US): Applies to children under 13. Requires verifiable parental consent.
• UK GDPR: Age-appropriate design code applies to services likely accessed by children.
• Brazil LGPD: Minimum age of 18 unless parental consent is provided.
• Australia: Privacy Act amendments introduce enhanced protections for children.

Best Practices

• Collect date of birth at sign-up for all subscribers in jurisdictions with age-based consent requirements
• Provide clear age verification notices at the point of data collection
• Document age verification procedures and outcomes for regulatory audit
• Block and delete submissions from subscribers below the age threshold
• Consider that age verification alone may not satisfy all child privacy requirements — additional protections around data processing and marketing communications may apply