After Facebook row, Google-owned YouTube accused of violating child protection laws

Google-owned YouTube has been accused of violating child protection laws by collecting personal data of children aged under 13. The allegations were levelled by a legion of 23 child advocacy, consumer and privacy groups who have registered a complaint with the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) stating the video streaming company had been collecting data for advertising purposes.

The 23-member group which consists of Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood (CCFC), the Center for Digital Democracy along with 21 organisations have accused Google of not practicing what it preaches. The group said, although the video streaming site claimed to be serving users above 13 years of age, it was well aware that children below 13 were using the site and did nothing about it.

Jeff Chester of the Center for Digital Democracy said: “Google has acted duplicitously by falsely claiming in its terms of service that YouTube is only for those who are age 13 or older, while it deliberately lured young people into an ad-filled digital playground.”

He added, “Just like Facebook, Google has focused its huge resources on generating profits instead of protecting privacy.”

The group alleged that Google instead gathered personal information such as location, information of the device being used, the phone number, and the websites accessed by the user, without acquiring parental consent as mandated by the US Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA).

“For years, Google has abdicated its responsibility to kids and families by disingenuously claiming YouTube — a site rife with popular cartoons, nursery rhymes, and toy ads — is not for children under 13,” Josh Golin, executive director of the CCFC was quoted by The Guardian as saying.

“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,” Golin noted.

The group has urged the FTC to probe the matter and take appropriate actions against Google.

The 59-page complaint filed with the FTC said, “YouTube also has actual knowledge that many children are on YouTube, as evidenced by disclosures from content providers, public statements by YouTube executives, and the creation of the YouTube Kids app.”

A spokesperson for YouTube responded to the allegations and said, “While we haven’t received the complaint, protecting kids and families has always been a top priority for us. 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.”