Digital Age of Consent in Europe
The age at which a child can agree to apps using their data without a parent, in every EU country plus the UK, Norway, Iceland and Switzerland.
The GDPR digital age of consent is 13 in the UK, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Portugal, Sweden and Norway; 14 in Austria, Italy and Spain; 15 in Czechia, France, Greece and Slovenia; and 16 in Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands and Poland, which kept the default.
Digital Age of Consent in Europe
Frequently asked
What is the digital age of consent?
The age at which a child can consent on their own to an online service processing their personal data, under GDPR Article 8. Below it, a parent must consent. It is 16 by default, and countries may set it as low as 13.
What is the digital age of consent in the UK?
13, under UK GDPR. The Children's Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026 lets the government change it by regulations, but in July 2026 it decided not to change it at this stage.
Is the digital age of consent the same as the minimum age for social media?
No. It is a data-protection rule. Most apps set 13 in their own terms, and some countries, such as Australia, have separate social media age laws.
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