• by Laurie Sullivan  @lauriesullivan, February 26, 2020

Those who want to can form a relationship with Google. This means anyone using its services and utilities will need to agree to detailed requirements.

Depending on the location, Google began alerting users in Google Search about a planned update to its terms of service (ToS), meaning things that users automatically agree to when using the company’s utilities and tools.

Google links to a “Summary of changes” with 18 sections to identify when something is new. This includes entirely new sections, adding links, providing clarifications, and more for use of the search engine, Chrome web browser and operating system and Google Drive, among the other units and tools it offers.

New to the ToS is a section that defines the relationship between a user and Google when interacting with the company’s services. It’s basically an agreement to the relationship that users will have with Google if they choose to use the company’s products.

The FAQ explains how changes reflect evolving regulatory environments and ongoing efforts to simplify the way Google communicates with people who use its services. YouTube last year also updated its ToS.

And while Google explains in plain words what users can expect from the company, it also details what Google expects from those who choose to use its services.

Google calls it user “responsibilities.” Links have been added to a page called “service-specific additional terms” and to policies and resources. Basic rules of conduct were clarified, too.

There is also an age requirement to manage a Google account. In the United States that age requirement is 13. In South Korea the age requirement is 14, and in Vietnam it’s 15. Every country has an age requirement, including Bulgaria at 16, Germany at 16, and Chile at 14.  

When it comes to YouTube Video, a warning screen is displayed and only users who are 18 or older can watch it. Users on AdSense and Google Ads also must be 18 years of age.

Fraud will not be tolerated. Google explains that it will disable accounts due to incorrect birth dates.