Google will pay $30 million to resolve a lawsuit accusing the company of breaking child privacy laws through data collection on YouTube, according to recent filings.
The lawsuit claimed Google breached the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) by tracking children under 13 without parental permission. According to the complaint, YouTube recorded children’s viewing behaviour to help advertisers target them, a practice considered illegal when applied to minors.
Google has not admitted fault but agreed to settle the case.
The agreement could benefit up to 45 million U.S. residents. Individuals who watched YouTube while under 13 between July 2013 and April 2020 may be eligible for compensation. Exact payouts will vary depending on how many claims are filed once the process opens.
This is not Google’s first clash with regulators over child privacy. In 2019, it paid a $170 million penalty in a case brought by the Federal Trade Commission and New York State.
Privacy campaigners argue that the latest case demonstrates the need for tougher laws to hold tech companies accountable. Lawmakers have also pushed for more robust protections, saying that children remain vulnerable to online tracking and data misuse.