YouTube illegally collects data on children, say child protection groups

YouTube: the site has been accused of illegally collecting children's data
AFP/Getty Images
Fiona Simpson9 April 2018

YouTube has illegally collected data on children under the age of 13, child protection groups have claimed.

Campaign groups have accused the video streaming giant of using the data to target adverts at young children.

Almost 24 organisations have clubbed together to file a complaint to the Federal Trade Commission weeks after it emerged Facebook had leaked the data of 87m users to Cambridge Analytica.

YouTube is in breach of the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) because it features a wide variety of programming aimed at the under-13s and allows advertisers to target children, the complaint alleges.

It adds that Google has “actual knowledge” that children use the site but fails to warn parents or gain consent.

YouTube said it had not yet received the complaint and that "protecting kids and families has always been a top priority for us".

Campaigners have called on the FTC to fine Alphabet, the company behind YouTube, “tens of billions of dollars”, the Financial Times reported.

Josh Golin, executive director of the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood, told the newspaper: “Google profits immensely by delivering ads to kids and must comply with COPPA.

“It’s time for the FTC to hold Google accountable for its illegal data collection and advertising practices.”

Groups including the Center for Digital Democracy, the Parents Television Council and the Consumer Federation of America are among those who backed the campaign.

A YouTube spokesman told the Standard: “We will read the complaint thoroughly and evaluate if there are things we can do to improve.

“Because YouTube is not for children, we’ve invested significantly in the creation of the YouTube Kids app to offer an alternative specifically designed for children.”

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