The rules in the U.S. and Brazil do not ban advertising to minors: they restrict profiling them and collecting their personal data without their parents' consent. That is why, when choosing a platform for each age group, how targeting is done matters more than whether advertising is allowed. Kidscorp U18 DSP targets by content environment rather than by the child's profile, an approach that does not rely on personal data.
How does platform choice change by age?
| Age group | Common options | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| 3 to 5 | YouTube with content made for kids and age-rated apps | On content made for kids, Google does not allow personalized ads or third-party trackers. |
| 6 to 9 | YouTube, apps and games | Roblox Kids (ages 5 to 8) turns communication off by default, and Roblox programmatic ads reach only users over 13. |
| 10 to 12 | YouTube, apps and games | COPPA protects children under 13. Roblox Select (ages 9 to 15) remains subject to age verification. |
| 13 to 15 | Roblox, YouTube and apps | Programmatic ads on Roblox are enabled from age 13. Social networks admit users from that age, but they do not let advertisers choose the environment or the age range. |
| 16 to 18 | Video, apps and games | They are still minors under the law: Google turns off personalization until age 17 and the Digital ECA protects those under 18. |
The U18 range goes up to age 17: the "16 to 18" group covers ages 16 and 17.
What does COPPA require in the U.S.?
COPPA regulates the collection of personal data from children under 13, and includes persistent identifiers such as cookie IDs or ad IDs. The FTC published the amended version of the rule in April 2025, which took effect on June 23, 2025, with a compliance deadline of April 22, 2026. It requires separate consent to share children's data with third parties, a written data retention policy and an information security program. The FTC did not adopt additional limits on contextual advertising.
What do LGPD and the Digital ECA require in Brazil?
LGPD (art. 14) requires that the processing of children's and adolescents' data serve their best interests and, in the case of children, the specific consent of at least one parent or guardian. The Digital ECA (Lei 15.211/2025) has been in force since March 17, 2026 and covers digital products and services aimed at minors or likely to be accessed by them, including those of foreign companies. Its art. 22 prohibits using profiling to target advertising to children and adolescents, and its art. 9 requires reliable age verification, without self-declaration, in services with content inappropriate for minors. Penalties reach 10% of the economic group's revenue in Brazil, capped at R$50 million per violation.
And in other markets?
Outside the U.S. and Brazil, advertising aimed at minors is governed by general data protection rules, advertising self-regulation and, for food and beverages, labeling rules that vary by country. The usual approach is to plan around the strictest standard in the plan and review each market separately.
What questions should you ask a platform before buying?
- Does it target by user or by content environment?
- How does it verify age, and what data does it collect from minors?
- What independent certifications does it hold? Kidscorp holds the SAFECERTIFIED seal from the kidSAFE program, of which it has been a member since 2018.
- Can it report delivery by age group?
Frequently asked questions
Is advertising aimed at minors legal? Yes, with restrictions. What U.S. and Brazilian rules limit is profiling and the collection of minors' personal data, not advertising itself.
What changed with the Digital ECA? Since March 17, 2026, it prohibits using profiling to target advertising to children and adolescents in Brazil, and it includes foreign companies with a presence in the country.
What does targeting by content environment mean? It means choosing where the ad appears (the channel, the app or the game) based on the age of its audience, without identifying or tracking the child. It is the approach of Kidscorp U18 DSP.
Brands planning a campaign for children and teens can request a demo with the Kidscorp team and learn how it targets by content environment, without personal data.