Google, YouTube Kids Privacy Settlement: $30M

Children under the age of 13 who viewed content on YouTube that was allegedly directed toward children, such as cartoons, nursery rhymes, or other youth-oriented videos, between July 1, 2013, and April 1, 2020.

No documentation is required to submit a claim.

Google and YouTube have agreed to pay $30 million to settle a class action lawsuit that accused them of unlawfully collecting personal data from children under 13 who watched videos on YouTube.

The lawsuit alleged that YouTube, despite being aware that it was hosting content targeted toward young audiences, tracked the online activity of underage users without proper parental consent. According to the plaintiffs, this practice violated multiple children’s privacy protections, including federal laws such as the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA).

The case centers on YouTube channels that featured nursery rhymes, cartoons, toy unboxings, and similar kid-focused content. Plaintiffs argued that Google used persistent identifiers (cookies and other tools) to track viewers and serve them targeted ads, profiting from data collection practices that are prohibited for users under 13 without explicit parental permission.

Though Google and YouTube deny any wrongdoing, they agreed to a $30 million settlement to avoid continued litigation. This settlement follows increased regulatory scrutiny and public pressure to reform data privacy practices for children online.

What Class Members Can Receive

Parents or guardians who submit a valid claim on behalf of an eligible child may receive a cash payment. While the exact amount is not yet finalized, the distribution will depend on how many claims are submitted and approved.

All eligible claims will be paid from the $30 million fund, and compensation will be split evenly among valid submissions. There are currently no estimates for individual payout amounts.