Google has agreed to a $30 million settlement in a lawsuit accusing the tech giant of illegally collecting data from children under 13 on YouTube, in breach of the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA).
The legal action centered on Google’s practice of tracking children’s viewing habits to deliver targeted advertisements—a practice explicitly banned when it involves minors. The settlement could impact as many as 45 million U.S. users who accessed YouTube while under the age of 13 between July 2013 and April 2020. Once court procedures are finalized, eligible users will have the chance to file claims, with individual payouts depending on the number of claims submitted.
This is not the first time Google has faced penalties over children’s data. In 2019, the company and YouTube paid a record $170 million fine to U.S. regulators for similar COPPA violations, marking one of the largest enforcement actions of its kind.
The case underscores ongoing concerns about how major tech companies handle children’s data. Lawmakers are increasingly pushing for tighter regulations, and parents continue to demand greater transparency and accountability in how online platforms manage sensitive information. Analysts note that repeated fines could signal that current regulations are insufficient to deter tech giants from risky data practices.
