YouTube illegally collects data on children, say child protection groups

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Source: The Guardian

Complaint filed with US watchdog urges sanctions for Google allegedly failing to comply with child protection laws around data collection and ads

Samuel Gibbs
Mon 9 Apr 2018 00.01 EDT Last modified on Mon 9 Apr 2018 04.39 EDT

A coalition of 23 child advocacy, consumer and privacy groups have filed a complaint with the US Federal Trade Commission alleging that Google is violating child protection laws by collecting personal data of and advertising to those aged under 13.

The group, which includes the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood (CCFC), the Center for Digital Democracy and 21 other organisations, alleges that despite Google claiming that YouTube is only for those aged 13 and above, it knows that children under that age use the site. The group states that Google collects personal information on children under 13 such as location, device identifiers and phone numbers and tracks them across different websites and services without first gaining parental consent as required by the US Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (Coppa).

The coalition urges the FTC to investigate and sanction Google for its alleged violations.

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/apr/09/youtube-illegally-collects-data-on-children-say-child-protection-groups

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1. Another Headline: Child advocates ask FTC to investigate YouTube

https://www.daytondailynews.com/news/national/child-advocates-ask-ftc-investigate-youtube/TWUek2YHirQ5u03brs7F7L/?ecmp=daytondaily_social_twitter_2014_sfp

Link to tweet

Child advocates ask FTC to investigate YouTube

AP Technology Writer
12:21 a.m. Monday, April 9, 2018 National & World News

FILE - This March 20, 2018, file photo shows the YouTube app on an iPad in Baltimore. In a formal complaint being filed Monday, April 9, child advocates and consumer groups are asking the Federal Trade Commission to investigate and impose potentially billions of dollars of penalties on Google for allegedly violating children’s online privacy and allowing ads to target them. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, File)

Read carefully through the fine print of YouTube's terms of service and you might notice that you've affirmed you are old enough to watch it.

"If you are under 13 years of age, then please do not use the service," the terms say. "There are lots of other great web sites for you."

It's a warning that goes unheeded by millions of children around the world who visit YouTube to watch cartoons, nursery rhymes, science experiments or videos of toys being unboxed.

In a formal complaint being filed Monday, child advocates and consumer groups are asking the Federal Trade Commission to investigate and impose potentially billions of dollars of penalties on Google for allegedly violating children's online privacy and allowing ads to target them.

"Google profits handsomely from selling advertising to kid-directed programs that it packages," said Jeff Chester, director of the Center for Digital Democracy, one of the groups that drafted the complaint. "It makes deals with producers and distributors of kids' online programs worldwide. Google has built a global and very lucrative business based on kids' deep connections to YouTube."