Age screening on Twitter

What is age screening?

Age screening is a way for brands and others to determine online whether a follower meets a minimum age requirement, in a way that is consistent with relevant industry or legal guidelines. This makes it easier for advertisers and others with content not suitable for minors (e.g. alcohol advertisers) to advertise on Twitter.

How does age screening work on Twitter?

Twitter has developed a solution for brands that requires new Twitter followers to enter their birth date before being permitted to follow their account. You will only be required to enter your age information once, and this information will be accessible to all brands who want to participate in age screening. 

Here’s an example of what an age screening page looks like through this solution:

The feature was designed to help brands determine whether a follower is a minimum age, while at the same time providing an easy and secure way for you to follow accounts that you would otherwise be blocked from following. Twitter advertisers who use the solution will not have access to your birthdate or age, but will know when you’ve entered an age that’s above their indicated threshold. This feature is free, and available to a select number of our advertising partners in this closed beta stage. 

Does age screening comply with applicable guidelines and best practices?

Although Twitter will be working with brands interested in age screening users, compliance with specific industry guidelines around age screening and age-based targeting is, as always, the responsibility of the brand. The solution on Twitter is consistent with standard industry practices of brands who are required to gather age information. It is also consistent with the approach taken by other digital publishers.

What happens to my age information?

After you enter your birth date in response to the age screening prompt, Twitter checks that the date entered is at or above the applicable legal age limit for your country. If the date entered is at or above the age limit, Twitter remembers that your account passed the age screen so that you will not be prompted to confirm your age again when trying to follow similarly age-screened accounts. To remember this information, Twitter may associate with your account an acknowledgement that you met or did not meet the age requirement and does not keep the birth date that you entered.