What exactly is age gating, and why do brands need it now?

Age gating is the process of determining whether someone meets legal age thresholds before certain data uses, features, or content are allowed. It matters now because states like Texas, California, and Colorado are introducing children’s privacy requirements that go far beyond COPPA — making simple “Are you 18+?” screens no longer compliant.

What age data should I collect (date of birth, age ranges, or something else)?

It depends on your risk tolerance and legal obligations. Many brands prefer age bands to minimize data collection, while some laws effectively require full date of birth. Ketch supports DOB, age bands, and inferred signals, so you can pick the right approach per jurisdiction.

How do I handle parental consent or guardian permissions?

Parental involvement kicks in when minors fall below a legally defined age threshold (e.g., under 13 under COPPA, under 16 in some states). Ketch supports delegated consent flows, so parents can review and authorize data practices on behalf of their children.

Do I need to age-gate my entire website or app?

Not always. Many brands only age-gate sensitive areas: video content, personalized recommendations, data collection workflows, or features involving behavioral tracking. Ketch lets you apply age gating contextually so you don’t over-block the experience.

What happens if my age gate is wrong or a minor lies?

Regulators understand that no age gate is perfect; what matters is reasonable, risk-appropriate verification and clear enforcement of rules. Using dynamic, jurisdiction-aware logic like Ketch provides stronger defensibility than a simple checkbox.

How do I comply with multiple states when age thresholds differ?

This is exactly why dynamic age gating exists. States define minors differently (under 13, under 16, under 18), and their opt-in/opt-out rules vary. Ketch automatically applies the correct logic per state, so your team doesn’t have to track every change.

Will I need engineering resources every time a new law passes?

With most CMPs, yes. With Ketch, no. Centralized rule control lets privacy teams update age thresholds, consent requirements, and parental logic without re-engineering or redeploying anything.

How do I avoid collecting more sensitive data than necessary?

Data minimization is a core principle of children’s privacy laws. Ketch lets you choose the least intrusive age capture method required for your obligations — from simple bands to full DOB — and apply stricter methods only in high-risk jurisdictions.

How does age gating work alongside cookie consent or Progressive Consent?

Age gating determines who is allowed to give consent or have certain data collected. Progressive Consent determines how and when consent is requested. Ketch unifies both so minors receive age-appropriate flows, while adults get streamlined experiences.

What kind of audit evidence do I need for age-gating compliance?

Regulators increasingly expect clear logs showing what age signal was captured, what rule or threshold applied, what consent options were shown, and what decision was made (user or parent). Ketch generates defensible audit trails automatically.

Age-gating: flexible, jurisdiction-aware experiences for minors

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Age gating is the compliance layer brands can’t afford to get wrong

As social media companies and digital brands increase targeting and participation for minors, regulators are shifting attention to children’s privacy laws.

Texas, California, and a growing number of U.S. states are passing new laws mandating strict data collection practices and processes for minors under 18.

This patchwork across states with varying requirements means that brands need nuanced, jurisdiction-aware controls.

Ketch meets these new, varied requirements with agile, automated tech. Our dynamic age-gating capabilities help privacy teams keep up with shifting regulations while delivering experiences that respect minors, empower parents, and protect your brand.
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Read more: Dynamic consent controls for age gating and video consent

Meet every kids’ privacy requirement with dynamic, automated controls

Ketch enables dynamic age-gating experiences that adapt based on age, location, and legal requirements, making it easier for brands to meet the growing patchwork of children’s privacy laws across the U.S.

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Ketch Progressive Consent

01

Collect age in multiple ways

Choose from full date of birth, age bands (e.g., 13–17, 18+), or inferred signals where legally permissible. This flexibility helps brands determine whether a user qualifies as a minor for a specific jurisdiction.

02

Apply dynamic opt-in/opt-out rules

Customize consent requirements based on the user’s age and location. For instance, if state law requires parental consent for users under 16, the system can automatically adjust the consent logic accordingly.

03

Deliver tailored disclosures

Consent messaging and flows can vary by age group, ensuring that minors receive clearer, more visible privacy notices and appropriate user experiences.

Everyone is a little bit frenetic about Texas and all of the obligations that come with age gating. We're talking to customers left, right, and center who have no clue and no confidence right now on exactly what they're gonna do. We even hear people say, we're just gonna wait and see. One of the things that we're excited about right now is that we actually have software in place to solve this problem. We're super excited about the capabilities that we have in the Consent Management Platform. You can actually go in and describe the rules of engagement as it relates to an individual's age or age band. You can say, for individuals zero to thirteen, they should have no ability to opt in consent in a specific jurisdiction. Conversely, you can say that people in this tween range, need to provide express opt in consent, where individuals eighteen and older, of course, have the standard rights that they would have in an opt out context. You can describe all of that in the CMP, and you can also describe the rules of engagement when it comes to parents, parental guidance, and controls that parents give their children to express their consent choices in the context of an app that they're engaging with.

Smarter age-gating for safer data

Ketch evaluates age, location, and legal requirements in real time. That means minors receive the protections they need, adults get a smoother experience, and your brand enforces the right rules for every interaction.

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Age-gating: flexible, jurisdiction-aware experiences for minors

Age gating is the compliance layer brands can’t afford to get wrong