The children’s code – an introduction for small businesses

About the Children’s code

The age-appropriate design code – or ‘Children’s code’– is a data protection code of practice for online services, such as apps, online games, and web and social media sites, likely to be accessed by children (people under 18) in the UK. It applies to any online services likely to be accessed by a significant number of children, even where they’re aimed at adults.

The code aims not to protect children from the digital world, but instead protect them within it, by ensuring online services are better designed with children in mind. It is a 'how to' guide to help services that process children's information understand how they can comply with the law.

Organisations that do not follow the code could face action by us which includes compulsory audits, orders to stop processing and fines.

Does the code apply to us?

First, you must decide if a significant number of children are likely to access your service, even if it’s not aimed at them.

You could identify whether children are likely to access your service by:

• carrying out age checks;
• third party research;
• considering whether you include content that children like, such as cartoons;
• considering whether you receive contact or complaints from children or parents; and
• considering if children are known to like services similar to the ones you’re offering.

What do we need to do?

If children are likely to access our service, what do we need to do?

What if we don’t know how old our users are?

Your approach will depend on what you are doing with the information and what impact that might have on children. Some options are:

• do some age checks, there are technical measures you can use to do this; or
• provide a high privacy service to all users by default.

More information and guidance

If you want to understand what the code is all about then this document is a good place to start. We recommend that you consult our more detailed guidance:

• The Children’s code
• The Commissioner’s Opinion: Age Assurance for the Children’s Code