Google has agreed to pay $30 million to settle a lawsuit concerning children's privacy violations on YouTube. The settlement was reached in federal court, with Google denying all allegations.
Overview of the lawsuit
The lawsuit was filed on August 18 in federal court in San Jose, California. The allegations claim that Google collected children's personal data without parental consent and used it for targeted ads. Parents of 34 children whose data was accessed presented their complaints before a judge.
Past precedents with Google
In 2019, Google faced similar accusations and was fined $170 million for violations. Following this, modifications to their practices were implemented, but concerns were raised that the terms were too lenient. Additionally, Texas reached a $1.4 billion settlement over other allegations of wrongful data collection.
Impact on children's online safety
The affected children were all based in the U.S. and under 13 years old during the period from July 1, 2013, to April 1, 2020. Plaintiffs' lawyers estimate that the class action could have involved between 35 to 45 million individuals, with potential payouts ranging from $30 to $60 per person before legal fees.
The $30 million settlement raises significant concerns about privacy and child protection online. Despite these allegations, Google maintains its stance of no wrongdoing and expresses intentions to enhance its practices.
