YouTube Faces $30 Million Payout for Violating Kids' Privacy Laws

By siliconindia  |  Wednesday, 20 August 2025, 09:36 IST

YouTube Faces $30 Million Payout for Violating Kids' Privacy Laws
  • Google will pay $30 million to settle a lawsuit over collecting children's data on YouTube without consent.
  • The class action could affect up to 45 million U.S. children under 13 who used the platform between 2013 and 2020.
  • The settlement follows claims that YouTube violated multiple state privacy laws despite a prior federal agreement in 2019.

Google has agreed to a $30 million settlement to resolve a lawsuit accusing it of violating children's privacy on YouTube. The case was filed by parents and guardians of 34 children, who claimed the platform collected personal information from kids under 13 without parental permission and used it to serve targeted ads.

The lawsuit said YouTube attracted children using cartoons, nursery rhymes, and other kid-friendly videos to gather data such as location, device information, and viewing habits. This alleged behavior continued even after Google agreed to a 2019 federal settlement with the FTC, where it paid $170 million and promised to stop collecting data from children.

The current class action, filed in a federal court in San Jose, California, covers U.S. children under 13 who watched YouTube from July 1, 2013, to April 1, 2020. Plaintiff’s estimate 35 to 45 million children could be eligible.

Also Read: Google Uses AI to Cut Fake Ad Traffic by 40%

U.S. Magistrate Judge, Susan van Keulen still needs to approve the deal. Earlier, she dismissed related claims against content creators like Hasbro, Mattel, and Cartoon Network, citing lack of evidence linking them directly to data collection.

If only 1-2% of eligible families file claims, individual payouts could range from $30 to $60 per child before deductions. Attorneys involved are expected to request up to $9 million in legal fees from the settlement.

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