YouTube has been illegally obtaining data on children’s viewing patterns, according to more than 20 advocacy groups in the US.
In a joint complaint filed to the Federal Trade Commission on Monday, they allege the Google subsidiary is violating children’s online privacy by collecting data and using it to target advertising.
Under federal law, websites directed at children under the age of 13 are required to get parental consent in order to collect data.
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Those are “the basic requirements, and Google doesn’t even try to meet them”, said the Campaign for Commercial-Free Childhood, a signatory to the complaint.
“Instead, their privacy policy says that YouTube isn’t for children under 13, and that kids shouldn’t use it,” it added.
Research carried out by marketing firm Trendera this year revealed that 45% of children aged between 8 and 12 have a YouTube account - and there is no way to restrict their access.
While Google “doesn’t let advertisers select age groups under 18, the complaint says there are still a number of ways to target ads at children” including the use of keywords like “toy”, CNN Money reports.
Jeff Chester of the Center for Digital Democracy said the company is guilty of deliberately luring children to a platform filled with targeted ads.
“Just like Facebook, Google has focused its huge resources on generating profits instead of protecting privacy,” he said.
Responding to the complaint, Google said protecting children and families was a “top priority” and promised to “evaluate if there are things we can do to improve”.
