US: YouTube pay $170M to settle child privacy claims

YouTube and its parent company Google have agreed to pay US$170 million to US regulators after being accused of violating children’s privacy.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced on Wednesday, September 4, the companies will pay the amount to settle claims the video-sharing website illegally collected personal information from children without their parents’ consent.

YouTube was accused of using cookies, which track users across the internet, on channels directed at children without first getting parents’ consent. Regulators said the platform earned millions of dollars by allowing companies to target advertisements at those children.

Joe Simons, the FTC chair, said in a statement, “YouTube touted its popularity with children to prospective corporate clients. Yet when it came to complying with COPPA [the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act], the company refused to acknowledge that portions of its platform were clearly directed to kids. There’s no excuse for YouTube’s violations of the law.”

Full Content: FTC

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