Google Settles for $30M Over YouTube’s Alleged Illegal Data Collection from Kids
“Google Settles for $30M Over YouTube’s Alleged Illegal Data Collection from Kids”
- This is not the first time Google has faced legal trouble over children’s data. In 2019, the company paid a record $170 million to the Federal Trade Commission and the New York Attorney General to settle similar charges regarding violations of the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA).
- The class-action lawsuit claimed that Google continued to illegally collect children’s data even after the 2019 settlement.
- Plaintiffs alleged that Google’s practices involved using children’s personal information to create profiles for targeted advertising.
What is happening now:
The settlement covers an estimated 35 million to 45 million children under 13 who watched content on YouTube between July 1, 2013, and April 1, 2020.
Parents of 34 minors from 17 states filed the lawsuit, claiming that Google and YouTube violated privacy and state consumer protection laws by misappropriating children’s personal data without parental consent.
Under the agreement, Google will make a $30 million nonreversionary cash payment to create a settlement fund.
Eligible class members who submit valid claims will receive a pro rata share of the remaining funds after administrative costs, attorneys’ fees, and service awards for class representatives are deducted.
