Mojang account users under 13

The following describes how we handle data for children under 13 years of age, as required by U.S. law. It's a bit more lawyer-y than we usually would post, but it's very clear about everything, so please bear with us as you read it. If after reading you have further questions, you can contact Mojang Support with the Contact link at the bottom of the page.


​Why is Mojang asking Mojang account owners to verify their ages and provide a credit card?
Mojang is a subsidiary of Microsoft Studios. As a US company, Microsoft implements and follows certain procedures to comply with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), which is a U.S. law that helps protect children on the internet. Under these policies, we obtain parental consent before any child under age 13 can access certain Mojang account features. The most common method allowed by COPPA for obtaining parental consent is charging a small amount to the parent’s credit card. We verify the card by charging a 10 cent, non-refundable fee. The credit card charge requirement only applies to accounts for children under age 13.

What features are locked for these users?
Playing on Minecraft Realms, chatting in Scrolls, making purchases, or changing settings on the Mojang account site.

Does this mean that there are now two different kinds of accounts, one for children and one for adults?
No. Accounts that require parental consent and have not obtained it have the above features locked out, but there are no additional parental controls, and if consent has been obtained, there is no difference from an account that does not require parental consent.

What is COPPA?
Established by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in 1998, the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) provides a set of rules around the online collection of personal information from U.S. children under 13. COPPA spells out what a website operator must include in a privacy policy, when and how to seek verifiable consent from a parent and what responsibilities an operator has to protect children's privacy and safety online. For more information, visit the FTC's website.

Who must comply with COPPA?
Any U.S. company who operates a commercial website or an online service that collects, uses, or discloses personal information from U.S. children under age 13 and who is directed to children under 13 or has actual knowledge that a user is under 13 must comply with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act.