Children’s Privacy

Updated May 14, 2024

This Children’s Privacy Statement applies only to the websites or platforms targeted toward users younger than the age of 13 (“Child” or “Children”) that are owned by Mattel, including our affiliates and subsidiaries (including, without limitation, Mattel, Inc. Fisher-Price, Inc., American Girl Brands, LLC, HIT Entertainment Limited, Mega Brands Inc. and their affiliates and subsidiaries (collectively, “Mattel”). This Statement provides details regarding data we may collect from Children and supplements our Privacy Statement. This Statement applies to personal information collected and processed by Mattel through our websites (the “Mattel Sites”), applications, features, or other services that post a link to this Children’s Privacy Statement (collectively, the “Mattel Services”).

For information about how Mattel treats data collected from or about users aged 13 and older, please see our Privacy Statement, including the specific sections that might apply to where you live.

What Are Mattel’s Children’s Privacy Practices? (Summary)

Mattel Services which are directed to and accessed by Children call for certain more restrictive privacy practices. Some Mattel Sites or areas of Mattel Sites with content directed toward Children can be identified by “kids” or “play” in the domain or subdomain. Content intended for adults may be available at such Mattel Sites, accessible through a “parents” link.

We do not collect Personal Information from Children through Mattel Services directed to Children without the consent of a parent or legal guardian, except as permitted by the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) and other applicable law.
We may ask a Child for certain information that we do not associate with any Personal Information we have collected about your Child and would not re-display to other users, like their birthdate (if we are restricting certain ages from certain Mattel Services) or to customize their experience by collecting non-identifying information like their gender, their likes and dislikes, and hobbies, etc. This information may be used in aggregated form to help us understand our visitors and improve our products and Mattel services.
We do not ask for more Personal Information than is necessary for a Child to participate in the activity.
We take steps to prevent Children from posting or publicly disclosing Personal Information without parental consent, such as monitoring or screening and use of filtering technology.

If you are the parent of guardian of a Child who uses the Mattel Services and have questions, you may contact us using the information in the “Contact Us” information referenced at the bottom of our Privacy Statement.

What Information Does Mattel Collect from Children and How Is It Used?

Mattel might collect an email address and first name (or screen name) from your Child without your consent, but only in the following special cases:

To participate in special activities, like scavenger hunts, personalized pages, games or clubs, we might ask your Child to register. They can often do so anonymously by just providing a first name or username, and password. When we ask for your Child’s first name, we encourage them to use a “screen name” (not their real name) that only they know. Sometimes we will ask your Child to make up a special password so that only they can see their customized areas of Mattel Services. As COPPA requires, we will get your permission should we ask your child to provide additional Personal Information to participate in such activities.
We may sometimes need a Child’s email address, your email address, or both. We may ask a Child for your email address, so we can notify you of your Child’s interest in Mattel Services. In the limited circumstances where we might collect your Child’s email address without getting your consent first, we ask your Child for your email or mailing address so that we can notify you of your Child’s request and get your permission or give you an opportunity to opt-out. When we ask for your permission, we will tell you what we will do with the information you or your Child provides us, and how you can review your Child’s information and ask us to delete the information. With your consent, we may collect other Personal Information from your Child such as a last name or home address, if the information is necessary for a particular activity. We provide further detail about the instances in which we may request such consent from you below.
If a Child sends a request to us, we keep their email address for long enough to respond to them. Mattel deletes this information from our system after we answer their question. In the case of “send a friend” emails, we do not ask for your Child’s email address and only use the friends’ email address to send the message, after which the friends’ email addresses are deleted.
If a Child signs up for an email newsletter or other activity that requires multiple online contacts with the Child, we also ask the Child for a parent’s or legal guardian’s email address, so we can notify you and give you an opportunity to opt out.
Occasionally, Mattel has special activities or promotions, like sweepstakes or contests that are open to Children. We ask your Child to give us your email address, so that we can tell you that they have registered in a promotion or for a service. If we need more than an email address and first name (or screen name) to enter your Child in the promotion, award a prize, or offer the service, we will notify you, explain what information we need and why, and generally ask that you (not your Child) provide it. For instance, we might ask you for your mailing address so that we can send any prizes your Child wins to you, or for your phone number so that we can contact you if your Child has won. Any information we receive from you or your Child in the above special circumstances will be deleted from our database once the promotion, program or activity is concluded, and after any legally required period for keeping such information is complete.
As otherwise permitted by COPPA.

Mattel may collect and store other Personal Information about Children if it is submitted by a Child with prior parental consent. Specifically, Mattel may collect Personal Information about a Child in the following instances:

We may offer enhanced Mattel Services, including subscription-based Mattel Services, which require a parent to register and establish the appropriate permission level for the Child. Content and activities available may vary depending on the Service. Parents will be provided with information on the type of content and activities their Child may access at the time they register and are always responsible for and in charge of their Child’s account. Subscription fees may apply for some Services.
We do not keep your (or your Child’s) email address unless you tell us it is okay. If social networking opportunities are available through Mattel Services, they are structured so that no Personal Information is shared between visitors unless parental consent is obtained. Similarly, no Personal Information is collected from Children to participate in these features except as described in this section, with parental consent, or as otherwise permitted under COPPA.

Automatically Collected Information

We use persistent identifiers, such as tracking technology, like cookies, for internal operations such as to recognize visitors by their username when they use or revisit Mattel Services, to screen for age, and to provide us important information that helps us understand features and gauge interest. We may also use technology for similar purposes in our apps.

We also use such technology and work with third-party technology partners to facilitate the ability to play games, to recognize returning visitors, for research, and for other purposes, including to screen under-age visitors from certain features or areas intended for older visitors, and for other internal purposes. You may review additional information about these technologies in the section below.

The technologies that may be used to collect information include:

Cookies. A cookie is a data file placed on your computer or other device when you visit the Mattel Services or otherwise access our online content. Cookies may be used for many purposes, such as supporting functionality, for internal analytics and similar internal purposes.
Pixel Tags. We or our third-party service providers (such content providers and analytics companies) may set pixel tags (small graphic images or other web programming code, also known as “web beacons” or "1x1 GIFs" or "clear GIFs") and similar technologies on the Mattel Services. Web beacons can recognize certain types of information on your computer such as cookies, the time and date a page is viewed, and a description of the page where the web beacon is placed. Web beacons or similar technologies may be used for a number of purposes, including, without limitation, to count visitors to the Mattel Services, to monitor how users navigate the sites, and to improve your experience.
Embedded Scripts. An embedded script is programming code that is designed to collect information about your interactions, such as the links you click on. The code is temporarily downloaded onto your device from our web server or a third-party service provider, is active only while you are connected to the Mattel Services, and is deactivated or deleted thereafter.

Disclosure of Children’s Personal Information

Mattel may disclose Children's Personal Information to service providers who provide support for the internal operations of the Mattel Services and who do not disclose or use the Personal Information for any other purpose. These service providers may provide support services such as hosting the Mattel Services, designing and/or operating the features, or performing other administrative services. Mattel may provide these companies with access to Children's Personal Information in order for them to carry out the services they are performing on Mattel’s behalf. These service providers have agreed to maintain the confidentiality, security and integrity of this Personal Information they obtain from Mattel.

We may also disclose Personal Information to third parties when necessary to protect the security or integrity of the Mattel Service; take precautions against liability; respond to judicial process; or provide information to law enforcement agencies or for an investigation on a matter related to public safety.

Third-party Links/Can My Child Access the Web Through Mattel Services?

Your Child can navigate to the general internet through links to third-party web sites available on the Mattel Services that Mattel does not control. Mattel is not responsible for the privacy or data collection practices of any third-party. Third-party websites, online services, or apps that can be accessed through a Mattel Service are governed by the third-party’s privacy practices, and not this Privacy Statement. We recommend that you check the applicable privacy statement and terms of use each time you use any website, online service, or app so you understand how your and your Children’s Personal Information will be collected and used, and by whom.

We encourage you to spend time with your Children when they are online or using any mobile device or connected product so you understand the features of the Mattel Services and the activities they allow, and to adopt available device and browser controls that reflect your preferences about your Children’s ability to access the internet or make purchases online.

Can I Access, Update, and Review Information You Have About My Child?

If you no longer want your Child to participate in an email newsletter, simply click on the link that is provided to unsubscribe, which is usually located at the bottom of the email, or contact us at service@mattel.com for Mattel, Fisher-Price, HIT Entertainment, and MEGA Brands; or service@americangirl.com for American Girl.

You may also request to review and delete all Personal Information Mattel has collected about your Child and cease all further collection or use of such Personal Information by submitting a request for Access or Deletion using the Mattel Privacy Choice Portal.

A special note to Children

Children should get a parent’s or legal guardian’s permission before giving out personal contact information or any other Personal Information, to Mattel or to anyone else.

Changes to this Statement

Mattel may update this Children’s Privacy Statement at any time and any changes will be effective upon posting. Where required by COPPA, we will obtain additional parental consent prior to using or disclosing Personal Information in a manner materially different from the purpose for which it was collected.