What is the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA)?

COPPA is a law that YouTube complies with, along with other applicable laws, regarding content designated as "made for kids." It helps define the legal responsibilities for creators concerning children's online privacy and the features that may be restricted for such content.

Does YouTube automatically determine if my content is "made for kids"?

No, YouTube advises creators not to rely on its systems to set their audience. Creators are legally responsible for accurately designating their content, as YouTube's systems may not identify all content that the FTC or other authorities consider "made for kids." YouTube Analytics is also not designed for this purpose.

Can personalized ads appear on "made for kids" content?

No, personalized ads are prohibited on "made for kids" content on YouTube, regardless of the viewer's age. YouTube treats personal information from anyone watching this content as coming from a child, and personalized ads have never been allowed on YouTube Kids.

Are third-party trackers allowed in ads on "made for kids" content?

No, YouTube does not allow the use of third-party trackers in advertisements served on "made for kids" content. This is part of their strict privacy standards to protect children's privacy, though cookies are allowed for specific purposes like statistical reporting and ad fraud prevention.

What happens if I incorrectly categorize my content as not "made for kids"?

If you fail to categorize your content correctly, there may be consequences on YouTube, as well as legal consequences under the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) or other applicable local laws. It is the creator's legal responsibility to ensure accurate designation.

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What are YouTube's policies for content made for kids?

31 Oct 2026, 4 min read

YouTube's policies for content designated as "made for kids" are designed to comply with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) and other applicable laws. These policies restrict certain features and impose strict rules on advertising to protect children's privacy. Creators are legally responsible for accurately identifying their content's audience.

The short version

YouTube's "made for kids" policies comply with COPPA and other laws.
Creators are legally responsible for accurately designating their content's audience.
"Made for kids" content restricts features and prohibits personalized ads.
YouTube uses ad bumpers and limits age-sensitive ads on this content.
Third-party trackers are not allowed on "made for kids" content.

What is "made for kids" content on YouTube?

YouTube defines "made for kids" content based on whether it is directed to children, even if children are not the primary audience. According to YouTube Help, this includes videos featuring actors, characters, activities, games, songs, or stories that reflect an intent to target children. Other factors include the subject matter, an emphasis on kids' characters, themes, toys, or games.

In the United States, a "kid" is defined as anyone under the age of 13. YouTube notes that not all content marked as "made for kids" is automatically considered appropriate for children, indicating a distinction between audience designation and content suitability.

Why must creators designate content as "made for kids"?

YouTube requires creators to designate whether their videos are "made for kids" to comply with an agreement with the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and to help creators adhere to the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) and other applicable laws. YouTube Help states that this is a mandatory requirement regardless of the creator's location.

Creators have a legal responsibility to accurately designate their content. Failing to categorize content correctly can lead to consequences on YouTube, as well as legal consequences under COPPA or other local laws. This designation is crucial because certain features may be restricted or turned off for content set as "made for kids" to comply with these regulations.

Who is responsible for setting the audience for content?

As a creator, you are legally responsible for accurately designating whether your content is "made for kids." YouTube Help states that creators know their videos and audience best, making them the primary party responsible for this crucial decision.

Creators should not rely on YouTube's automated systems to set their audience. YouTube's systems may not identify all content that the FTC or other authorities consider to be "made for kids." Additionally, YouTube Analytics (YTA) is not designed to help determine if content is child-directed.

How do ads work on "made for kids" content?

YouTube has strict policies for advertising on "made for kids" content. As Google Blog documents, since January 2020, YouTube has treated personal information from anyone watching "made for kids" content as coming from a child, regardless of the viewer's actual age. This means personalized ads are prohibited on "made for kids" content on YouTube, and they have never been allowed on YouTube Kids.

To protect children's privacy, YouTube does not allow the use of third-party trackers in advertisements served on "made for kids" content. However, COPPA allows for the use of cookies on child-directed content for specific purposes, such as statistical reporting, preventing ad fraud, and avoiding showing ads too many times. Google Blog states that YouTube uses cookies precisely for these permitted practices.

While ads in certain categories may still appear on content marked as "made for kids," YouTube limits age-sensitive ads. For example, Google Blog explains that ads for things like dating apps and certain food and beverage products, as well as ads with violent or graphic content, are restricted from appearing next to kids' content. To further alert viewers, YouTube Help indicates that an ad bumper may appear before and after a video ad on "made for kids" content, signaling when an advertisement is starting and ending. Advertisers also have a one-click option to opt out of having their ads appear on "made for kids" content on YouTube.

Common questions

What is the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA)?: COPPA is a law that YouTube complies with, along with other applicable laws, regarding content designated as "made for kids." It helps define the legal responsibilities for creators concerning children's online privacy and the features that may be restricted for such content.
Does YouTube automatically determine if my content is "made for kids"?: No, YouTube advises creators not to rely on its systems to set their audience. Creators are legally responsible for accurately designating their content, as YouTube's systems may not identify all content that the FTC or other authorities consider "made for kids." YouTube Analytics is also not designed for this purpose.
Can personalized ads appear on "made for kids" content?: No, personalized ads are prohibited on "made for kids" content on YouTube, regardless of the viewer's age. YouTube treats personal information from anyone watching this content as coming from a child, and personalized ads have never been allowed on YouTube Kids.
Are third-party trackers allowed in ads on "made for kids" content?: No, YouTube does not allow the use of third-party trackers in advertisements served on "made for kids" content. This is part of their strict privacy standards to protect children's privacy, though cookies are allowed for specific purposes like statistical reporting and ad fraud prevention.
What happens if I incorrectly categorize my content as not "made for kids"?: If you fail to categorize your content correctly, there may be consequences on YouTube, as well as legal consequences under the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) or other applicable local laws. It is the creator's legal responsibility to ensure accurate designation.

Primary sources

This article was researched and written by an AI model and published automatically. It was written from sentences that were checked to appear on the pages below, but a person has not reviewed the text. If something is wrong, tell us at leetcv@darthwares.com and we will correct it.