Notice to Parents
Children’s Privacy and Online Safety
The Hershey Company provides a range of digital services designed to share product information, brand content, promotional activities, entertainment, career opportunities, corporate resources, and shopping experiences. Because these services may include interactive features and functions involving personal information, certain areas may be intended for adults or older teenagers. The company considers the needs of different audiences when developing its online experiences and does not intentionally design its digital services to attract children under the age of thirteen.
Protecting younger visitors involves several considerations, including age-appropriate website design, responsible marketing, access restrictions, and careful handling of personal information. The safeguards applied may vary depending on the website, the features offered, the information requested, and the privacy regulations governing the relevant service.
Age Requirements and Audience Restrictions
The age at which an individual is legally considered a child is not identical in every jurisdiction. Certain privacy regulations establish thirteen as an important threshold, while other locations may recognize sixteen or another age determined by local law. The company considers applicable legal requirements when managing digital services and information relating to younger visitors.
Some website functions may be available to a broad audience, while others may have additional age requirements. General product descriptions, brand information, educational materials, and corporate content may not require the same restrictions as account registration, promotional participation, content submissions, or online purchases.
Where a particular feature is subject to an age limit, visitors may be asked to confirm that they meet the applicable requirement before continuing. If someone indicates that they are below the permitted age, access to that function may be restricted or declined. The specific controls depend on the nature of the service and the potential privacy considerations involved.
Marketing and Advertising Practices
Marketing activities take the intended audience’s age into consideration. The company does not knowingly direct advertising toward children under thirteen for the purpose of encouraging them to visit its websites. Promotional messages and digital campaigns are developed with consideration for the audiences they are intended to reach.
Communications designed for adults or older teenagers may differ in subject matter, presentation, and promotional content from materials intended for general audiences. These considerations help maintain an appropriate distinction between younger children and visitors for whom particular products, services, or interactive activities may be more suitable.
Age-related marketing practices may be reviewed as advertising methods, audience expectations, and applicable regulations change. The company seeks to ensure that promotional activities remain consistent with relevant requirements and its approach to responsible communication.
Age Verification and Website Controls
Certain interactive features may use age confirmation prompts or similar technical controls. These measures can appear before visitors create accounts, enter promotions, submit information, upload content, or access functions that involve personal data.
Cookies and comparable technologies may help retain selected age-related preferences during website visits. For example, a website may store a previous age response so that restrictions remain in place when someone returns to a particular feature. Such technologies can support access management and discourage repeated attempts to bypass age requirements.
However, electronic age checks cannot guarantee that every visitor provides accurate information. Someone may enter an incorrect birth date or attempt to avoid a restriction through another method. These safeguards are therefore intended to reduce potential risks rather than provide a complete guarantee that younger visitors will never encounter restricted content.
Collection and Protection of Children’s Information
The handling of children’s personal information is governed by the company’s broader privacy practices and the laws applicable to each service. Depending on the website and activity, information may be collected when visitors create accounts, participate in promotions, submit content, communicate with customer support, or use other interactive features.
Relevant privacy notices explain what information may be collected, how it is used, how long it may be retained, and whether it may be shared with service providers or other parties. Parents and guardians are encouraged to review these notices before allowing younger family members to participate in activities that request personal details.
When additional safeguards are appropriate, younger visitors may be asked to obtain permission or assistance from a parent or legal guardian before submitting information or completing certain activities. These requirements can vary according to the service, the visitor’s age, and the applicable legal framework.
Parental Rights and Requests
Depending on applicable privacy laws, parents and legal guardians may have certain rights concerning a child’s personal information. These rights may include requesting access to relevant records, asking for inaccurate information to be corrected, seeking deletion of eligible data, or raising concerns about how information has been collected or used.
The available options depend on the jurisdiction, the child’s age, the type of information involved, and the circumstances of the request. Before providing personal information or completing a requested action, the company may need to verify the identity and authority of the person submitting the inquiry.
Parents or guardians who believe that a child has provided personal information through a company website without appropriate authorization may contact the designated privacy or customer support team. Providing relevant details about the website, activity, and circumstances can help the responsible team understand the situation and determine which procedures may apply.
Online Safety and Parental Guidance
Technical restrictions and website safeguards are only part of a broader approach to children’s online safety. Parents and guardians play an important role in helping younger users understand digital privacy and recognize situations in which sharing personal information may be inappropriate.
Families are encouraged to discuss responsible internet use and explain why identifying details should be protected. Information such as full names, residential addresses, telephone numbers, email addresses, passwords, photographs, and other personal details should not be shared through online services without appropriate permission and guidance.
Parents may also consider using privacy and safety features provided by internet browsers, mobile devices, operating systems, and internet service providers. Available tools may include parental controls, account restrictions, content filters, screen-time settings, and privacy management options. Reviewing these features together can help families establish boundaries that reflect a child’s age and individual circumstances.
Managing Privacy and Device Settings
Some privacy preferences and age-related controls may be associated with a particular browser, account, application, or device. A setting configured on one computer may not automatically apply to a mobile phone or another browsing environment.
Parents and guardians who manage multiple devices should review the available settings separately where necessary. Cookie controls and other privacy options may also influence how websites remember preferences, manage access restrictions, and operate interactive features.
Visitors should read the relevant privacy notices before providing information through online forms or promotional activities. Younger users should seek assistance from a parent or guardian whenever they are uncertain about an information request or are required to obtain adult permission.
Updates to Children’s Privacy Practices
Digital services, privacy regulations, advertising technologies, and online safety expectations continue to develop. The company may periodically evaluate its age-related controls and children’s privacy practices to determine whether additional safeguards or procedural changes are appropriate.
When new website features are introduced or existing services are modified, their potential impact on younger visitors may be considered. Changes to legal requirements, technical capabilities, or information-handling practices may also result in revisions to applicable privacy notices and access procedures.
Because these practices can evolve, parents, guardians, and other visitors are encouraged to review the latest privacy information when using company websites or allowing younger family members to access interactive services.
Contact and Additional Assistance
Parents and guardians who have questions about age restrictions, children’s personal information, privacy rights, or website safety measures may contact the appropriate company support or privacy team through the designated communication channels.
When submitting an inquiry, individuals should explain the nature of their concern and identify the relevant website or online activity whenever possible. Requests involving a child’s personal information may require identity or authorization verification before the company can provide records, make changes, or disclose information.
The company recognizes that protecting younger visitors requires ongoing attention to website design, responsible advertising, privacy safeguards, access management, and family involvement. By combining age-conscious digital practices with appropriate information protections and parental guidance, the company seeks to provide online experiences that respect children’s privacy while remaining useful to their intended audiences.